KARACHI, March 20: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has clarified reports published in a section of the press about the SSGC demand for additional gas supply deposit from some commercial consumers in Hyderabad, says a press release issued here on Wednesday.

The SSGC said that the gas was supplied on credit, and under the gas supply contract, commercial consumers were required to maintain with the SSGC a gas supply deposit equivalent to average billing of three months. The additional deposit is required only when a consumer’s existing deposit falls short of his three month’s average billing.

According to the SSGC, this is a normal procedure and has a legal and contractual basis.

It also clarified that the meter rent was charged to recover the cost of meter over an extended period of time.

Further, the general sales tax, as levied by the government on sale of gas, is collected from all consumers throughout the country.