MIRPURKHAS: Civil society activists have strongly condemned the prolonged gas loadshedding resorted by the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) without any cause.

Speaking at the local press club, they alleged that officials of the SSGC were supplying gas with required pressure to commercial buildings, hotels, restaurants etc., after receiving illegal gratifications at the cost of hardships of domestic consumers.

The gas was also being supplied to hotels and restaurants along the Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas road, commercial buildings and some areas of Satellite Town as well as nearby villages, they added.

They said the gas supplied in most of the areas at scheduled time remained too low in pressure to cook food and prepare other edibles. The situation deprived school children and office going family members of breakfast and dinner, they added.

Now the use of LPG gas in cylinders had increased due to inefficiency of the gas department officers who had failed to address the growing complaints of consumers.

They demanded of the higher authorities to take immediate notice of the corruption of the officers, order an impartial inquiry, address the complaints, end the loadshedding besides punishment to the responsible officials.

House reduces to ashes

A house reduced to ashes when a fire lit to make tea on Sunday spread and burnt all household items and other valuables in the village of Yar Muhammad Mangrio, Sindhri taluka.

The house owner, peasant Zahid Shar, said that the fire brigade had been informed about the accident, but they reached late.

If they had arrived in time, many things would have been saved, he said.

The villagers tried to extinguish the fire on self-help basis, but the blaze remained out of control.

Mr Shar urged the higher authorities to help him as he was living under the open sky without aid.

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2024