OKARA: The urban area of the city with a population of more than 400,000 is facing nearly 18 hours of gas loadshedding despite the prime minster and managing director (MD) of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) categorically denying gas outages in the country.

Consumers in this area were forced to purchase gas cylinders, while the refilling cost per kilogramme was also high and decanters were minting money through it.

Locals claimed that they had seen SNGPL personnel at various sites, including three points of Faisalabad Road, Water Tank Chowk in government colony, near Octori post No 6 on GT Road and Akbar Road among others, decreasing gas pressure to allegedly avoid line losses in the name of regulating pressure.

Shahid Latif, a graphic designer from Ghaziabad, said they were forced to purchase gas cylinders from decanters at Rs160 per kg which had burdened them financially.

Chaudhry Nadeem of New Lalazar Colony said a number of elderly men and women could be seen carrying small cylinders at shops to get them refilled. He said that in his locality tandoors were charging a high rate for chapatti these days due to gas shortage.

Haider Chaudhry of Ameer Colony said he was an elderly man and was forced to get gas supply by paying extra money. But despite their protests no one from the gas authority or any public representative was ready to listen to their problems.

Muhammad Farooq, a resident of Sirki Muhallah, said they could not prepare food at home on time due to low gas pressure, which disturbed their daily school and office routines.

SNGPL district in-charge Ghulam Rasool told Dawn that the department was working to ensure unhindered gas supply to people. In the morning and evening department officials were working to boost pressure, but low or no pressure was caused due to 20-year-old pipes passing through bazaars and streets close to the municipal sewerage system. The leakage of sewerage lines had damaged gas pipelines and SNGPL had to lower pressure to ensure standard supply to all domestic consumers.

Okara has been facing this situation for three years and would continue to do so if the damaged pipelines were not replaced. SNGPL officials have so far been indifferent to the issue. Local MNA Chaudhry Riazul Haq Juj was also aware of this situation but had not yet managed to get the lines replaced.

Locals demanded the government, parliamentarians and SNGPL high-ups take immediate notice of the situation.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2017