PESHAWAR, Jan 23: Continuous rainfall in the NWFP with no let-up for the last three days have forced the SNGPL to suspend gas supply to the industrial units here and other parts of the province, officials said.
The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline (SNGPL) company has also stopped gas supply to compressed natural gas stations in the provincial metropolis, owing to low pressure. The low pressure of gas affected domestic consumers too as mercury dropped to 9.2 degree Celsius.
The low pressure has resulted in acute shortage of fuel and people have switched over to liquid gas, kerosene lamp and firewood. Gas consumers in the old city, cantonment, University Town, Hayatabad, Bara road and other areas were experiencing severe gas shortage for the last two days. A rush of consumers was witnessed at gas stations and the LPG stores in the city.
SNGPL Deputy Chief Engineer Momin Khan told Dawn here on Friday that the gas supply had been drastically reduced, and they have requested the head office to reduce gas supply to industrial units in Lahore and upper Punjab province, to supplement the gas pressure to the NWFP.
He said that the gas supply had been stopped to Hayatabad industrial estate. "Gas pressure is extremely low. It will improve, if pressure is increased from Punjab," he added.
An SNGPL official said that gas supply to other cities of the province including Nowshera, Mardan, Abbottabad, Mingora and Kohat had been decreased and suspended to the industrial units in those areas.
An official of the Met office here said that the provincial capital had received 18 millimetres rain during the last 24 hours. Total rains were recorded 41.9 millimetres in Peshawar so far and minimum temperature was 9.2 degree Celsius.
The Met office forecast more rains and heavy snowfall in the province and adjacent tribal areas on Sunday, and on Saturday the weather would remain cloudy.
Our correspondent from Mingora adds:# Rains in the urban areas and snowfall on the surrounding hills have paralysed the routine life and badly affected the business activities in Swat.
Traffic between Mingora, Kalam, Alpurai, Besham and Chakesar has also been stopped for the time being. Astore has been closed for all types of traffic after recent heavy snowfall and torrential rains followed by massive landslide in the area on Thursday, adds APP.
The heavy snowfall and torrential rains, pounding the area since Tuesday, have cut off communication links to other parts of the district Astore. The closure of road had badly affected the normal life and hampered the business activities in the valley and adjoining areas.
According to the local Met office here Thursday due to heavy snowfall the mercury in the area has fallen to 16 degree Celsius below the freezing point. More snowfall has been forecast. Some travelling people and vehicles remained stranded due to closure of Astore Highway. The Astore valley has so far received three feet of snowfall.