RAWALPINDI, Jan 5: Residents of various areas of Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) are turning to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as alternative fuel in the wake of low pressure and in some case even no gas. But the short supply of the commodity in the market has added to their woes.

Though the complaints of low gas pressure in winter have been received from all parts of the city, the most affected localities are Tench Bhatta, Kamalabad, Dhoke Syedan, Dhamial Camp and the surrounding areas of Ahmedabad and Quaid-i-Azam Colony where on Sunday the supply of gas remained suspended for more than 10 hours.

It was in Quaid-i-Azam Colony that gas remained unavailable for the whole day on Sunday making it impossible for the people to cook their food and keep themselves warm during the rainy day. Gas supply resumed late on Sunday night, said Mohammad Ansar Khan, a resident of the colony.

Unavailability of gas either in the morning or late in the evening has been a routine matter during winter. But this time the supply of gas remains suspended throughout the day, he said.

People were facing problems in preparing breakfast in time and many left for their office or school without eating anything, he added.

Saleem Ahmed, a contractor, said the residents were hit by another bolt from the blue when they came to know that LPG was also short in the market.

He said he had bought wood to cook food, and was running from pillar to post to buy LPG but in vain.

Blaming mushroom growth of CNG stations in the residential areas for the shortage of natural gas, he said the government should have kept the stations away from the residences and their numbers should be limited.

An LPG dealer at Pirwadhai, on condition of anonymity, said the price of a standard 16kg LPG cylinder used in houses had reached Rs2,000. Earlier, it was available for Rs1,100 to Rs1,200.

Citing the increase in the demand due to severe cold as the reason for the high price of LPG, the dealer said the commodity was facing shortage and the available stock was being sold at high price.

PPI ADDS: Dhoke Kashmirian, Dhoke Paracha, Sadiqabad and the surrounding areas have also been hit by low gas pressure, creating problems for the residents in the chilly weather.

The residents told this agency that they had been facing low gas pressure for the last many days. As a result, they were unable to cook food and the children were falling sick due to the cold weather.

The children had to go to their schools without having breakfast as there was no gas available to cook food.

It is unjustified as we are ready to pay full amount of utility bills but the gas supplied to our homes was insufficient and of no use,” Shakeel Abbasi, a resident of Dhoke Kashmirian, said.

He said it was the responsibility of the government to provide all necessities of life.

The residents claimed that they had lodged several complaints with the authorities concerned but they paid no heed to them.

MURREE: After the snowfall, the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder has increased by Rs200 to Rs300 in the rural areas of Murree Town.

A cylinder for domestic use (11kg) is being sold in the adjoining areas for Rs1,200 whereas in Murree city it is Rs1,000.

During winter, the cylinder dealers take advantage of the rising demand of the commodity and increase the rates.

In Murree city price remains unchanged as natural gas facility has been provided to the area.

Similarly flour shortage has hit the rural areas of Murree. Prices of other commodities have also been increased during winter.

The residents of Murree city have demanded setting up of another utility store as the present one was unable to cater to their needs.