KOHAT, Aug 8: Shakardarra Town Nazim Abdur Rasheed Khattak has urged the provincial government to release Rs50 million to the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited for a scheme to provide natural gas to the area.

Talking to Dawn here on Saturday, the nazim said the chief minister had promised last month that necessary funds for the supply of Sui gas would be provided soon. However, nothing had been done so far in this connection.

Mr Khattak said the area witnessed riots in the past over non-provision of basic amenities. Besides damaging the OGDC and local council offices, the protesters had also blocked the road connecting Shakardarra with Mianwali for vehicular traffic.

He said under the water-for-gas programme of the OGDC the process of laying water pipelines of two and three inch diameter was under progress. The town council had received Rs5 million from the OGDC for the purpose and water connections to every house would soon be allotted.

He said that arrangements had been made to overcome shortage of water till the completion of the water supply scheme through other means. He said the supply of oil and gas to Mianwali from Shakardarra had started on July 17.

Meanwhile, talking to Dawn senior SNGPL officials said no special grant had been received to supply gas to area people. They said although supply of gas to Punjab from the area had started, to provide the commodity to local people Rs15 million would be needed for the installation of an assembly plant to control gas pressure and then Rs35 million approximately would be needed to lay pipelines and provide gas connections to every house.

He recalled that the chief minister had assured a delegation comprising the Shakardarra town council members and area elders last month that he would provide Rs50 million for the provision of gas to the town.

He reminded the government that according to the law the town must get 2.5 per cent royalty every year on the income generated from the gas and oil sale. This amount includes income from oil, natural gas, compressed natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas.

He suggested that if it was not possible for the chief minister to fulfil his promise the SNGPL should make some arrangements to bear the gas supply expenses and adjust the charges against the royalty which would be due next June.

He said if the area gets royalty from the oil and gas sale on a regular basis it could bring about a revolution in the lives of the area people who were deprived of education, health and food since independence.

He said the only mode of transportation available to the people for brining ration were boats on which they travelled to the border town of Mukhad in Punjab through the Indus river.

He said that at present nine million cubic feet of natural gas and between 2,100 to 2,200 barrels of oil was being produced by the facility. The oil production was expected to rise to 4,500 barrels per day whereas that of the natural gas to 15 million cubic feet per day.