Lahore: “I feel frightened whenever I light this gas cylinder-fixed stove because it can explode like a bomb anytime, may be kill me, but this is the only option to prepare three times meal because we are absolutely receiving no gas during day hours, Sofia Bibi, a 19-year-old girl expresses her apprehensions.
She lives in Abbot Road locality of Lahore, the capital city of Pakistan’s Punjab province, where hundreds of domestic consumers are forced bring dangerous gas cylinders filled with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to be used as substituted to natural gas.
Hundreds of thousands of other Lahorittes are facing problems of gas low pressure or loadshedding without any prior announcement by the Sui-Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL).
Sofia said they were receiving no gas during day hours, as the supply remains suspended from 4AM to 12midnight. “Gas supply is restored for merely four hours during night when people are asleep. So, many of our neighbours are using LPG gas cylinders,” she added.
The situation of gas loadshedding has deteriorated during the month of December, forcing the thousands of consumers to bring home compressed gas cylinders, which has been declared dangerous as fail to meet the quality standards.
Ten people have been killed, of them five burnt alive, while 20 others injured in four different incidents of CNG gas cylinders explosions in the public transport this month
Presently, different petitions, seeking ban on the usage of CNG gas cylinders in the public transport, are separately being heard by the Lahore High Court and Sindh High Court.
Taking notice of these fatal incidents, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources has reported sent a recommendation to the federal government proposing to completely ban use of CNG gas cylinders in the buses and vans.
The ministry has also given a deadline of one week to owners of vehicles that use CNG to ensure that the cylinders that they have installed comply with safety guidelines.
In Lahore, gas utility’s domestic consumers said they were being forced to adopt these dangerous cylinders as the gas loadshedding was worsening with every passing day instead of any improvement despite the fact that demand had reduced in winter as compared to summer season.
A housewife in Qila Gujjar Singh, Ms. Naila said they were not receiving gas enough to cook food, as residents in this locality had experienced three days continuous gas supply interruption.
The per kg price of LPG has also been increased by the dealers, as they charge Rs 10 to 20 extra on per kg refill of gas.
Chand Masih, a resident said they were bearing extra burden of LPG gas as they already pay monthly bills. Many other citizens strongly criticised the government and SNGPL for failing to maintain uninterrupted supply of gas to them despite paying heavy monthly bills.
Referring to three causalities in gas cylinder explosion at a local factory in March last year, an officer of the SNGPL admitted that the compressed gas cylinders being used all over the country failed to meet the quality standards.
He warned that such dangerous cylinders usage at homes could result in more fatal incidents. However, the suggested citizens take precautionary measures like keeping the cylinders outside their cooking or sitting areas of homes to avoid loss of human lives in case any untoward incident takes place.
But, Ms. Naila is adamant to such warnings.
“Do you call it a government? They’re taking away affordable everything from the reach of the masses, even the gas. Many more people are bringing these dangerous gas cylinders to their homes. Why, gas is not being supplied. Are they (government) waiting for another gas cylinder to explode in a kitchen to take remedial steps?” she questioned.
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