HARIPUR: The SNGPL officials have disconnected supply to scores of consumers in different parts of the district for using generators during a campaign launched two days ago.

Tahir Amin, a peasant worker councillor from the neighborhood council No 6 and Haripur president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s labour wing, told Dawn that during the last two days SNGPL authorities had discontinued gas supply to over 60 consumers without serving them prior notices.

“When the consumers asked for the reason for supply disconnection, the officials told them that they were using generators on gas, which was not allowed under the rules,” Mr Amin claimed.

He said the authorities were approached by the councillors and chairmen of different neighbourhood councils but they declined to restore the supply. “The SNGPL officials demanded an affidavit on the stamp paper that the consumers won’t use the generator again,” he said.

Mr Amin said during a meeting of the chairmen and councillors of different neighbourhood councils, it was decided that the local authorities would be asked to desist from such action as under the prevailing situation when the district was facing frequent power suspensions, the people were left with the only option of using generators on gas for keeping the fans running. He said the affected people would also move the consumer court against the SNGPL action.

When contacted, an official of SNGPL confirmed that gas meters of some consumers had been removed on the directives of higher authorities.

Meanwhile, the district chapter of Jamaat-i-Islami threatened to stage protests if SNGPL did not stop disconnecting supply to consumers.

CONFERENCE: A three-day international conference on ‘different aspects of social, administrative and psychological sciences’ will start on June 7 at the University of Haripur.

Department of psychology’s chairperson Prof Amara Gul said on Sunday faculty of social sciences would organise the event in which different departments of the faculty would hold parallel sessions.

She said keynote speakers would be Dr Fatemieh Kamil from Dresden University Germany, Dr Jamila Hanum from International Islamic University, Malaysia, Dr Farooq Jam from Global Illuminators Malaysia, Dr Turki from Tripoli University Lebanon, Dr Barrie Gordon from Victoria University New Zealand and Dr Zhang Xian from Central Normal University, China.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2022