DERA GHAZI KHAN, March 27: A significant increase in utility bills of natural gas in the last couple of months has been a burden on the locals, reports said on Thursday.

The natural gas consumers have been receiving utility bills of huge amounts since January 2003 without any notice. Those who usually received bill of Rs200 a month had now been receiving bills of Rs1,200. Scores of people have complained that they do not afford inflated bills.

It is leant that the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited has enhanced charges to make up for the loss caused by attacks on main pipelines in Rajanpur.

It is pertinent to mention here that the residents of Dera Ghazi Khan are getting natural gas from Dhodhak Oil Field in tehsil Taunsa Sharif, which is being managed by the SNGPL. They are not consuming Balochistan’s natural gas.

When this correspondent contacted local SNGPL deputy chief, he said he did not know the actual cause of increase in utility bills. However, he said the department had adopted pattern of England in measuring the consuming gas by its heat value. He said the officials at the head office could tell the reason for inflated gas bills.