SWABI: Consumers said on Tuesday they were ready to pay the inflated gas bills if the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited adjusted the amount in next bills.

The consumers rejected the PTI leaders’ claim that the people got inflated gas bills because of higher gas consumption in winter, and demanded constitution of a fact-finding committee on the inflated bills. The consumers said the inflated bills were because the government had increased the gas tariff by 10 to 143 per cent for domestic consumers.

They said that the committee members should take impartial decision and immediately send recommendation to the government. They said the committee should also look into the practice of overbilling.

“The SNGPL used the hike in gas tariff to put more financial burden on consumers,” Ayub Khan of Topi city said.

Rahim Khan of Zaida village said his earlier gas bills were usually around Rs1,000 in winter, but now he had received a Rs6,000 bill. Mohammad Sarwar of the district headquarters said instead of Rs1,000 bill in winter he received a bill of Rs3,000.

Waqas Khan of Topi said his small house never received more than Rs500 monthly bill, but he got over Rs1,400 bill.

The consumers said it was responsibility of the government to take steps for correction of the bills and punishing those involved in defaming the government. Institutions like SNGPL and Wapda should not be allowed to fleece consumers, they said.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2019