Residents protest against the lack of availability of gas outside the SSGC office in Sukkur on Friday. PHOTO: INP
Since winter arrived, gas pressures have been fluctuating at various times during the day, with morning hours being the worst. Most children and people going to work have to make do without breakfast as there is not enough gas for them to fix themselves a meal.
"In this biting cold, my children are forced to shower with cold water before school," complained a housewife, Sumaira, adding that low gas pressure means she cannot fix them breakfast on time. Even in the afternoon, it takes more than two hours to cook, she said, adding that they have switched over to wood.
Asia Khatoon, a resident of Regent Colony in Sukkur, admitted that they have become used to the electricity crisis but, she said, the low gas pressure is simply intolerable. "They [government] are withdrawing every facility one by one, and it seems that they want to push us back into the Stone Age," she said.
For their part, the gas utility blamed the people for running generators on gas. "Whatever we get from one end, we are supplying to the people," said Sui Southern Gas Company's Sukkur region manager Aziz Abro. He admitted that they keep gas pressure low from 9am to 12pm, 3pm to 6pm and from 9pm to 12am but have instructed their workers to ensure proper gas pressure during cooking time.
"Many customers are using gas compressors to get high pressure, which is not only illegal but dangerous as well," he added.
Meanwhile, there are certain villages in upper Sindh where gas supply remains suspended all together. Ghotki residents have switched over to wood and the situation is not better in Khairpur, Naushero Feroz, Larkana, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Dadu, Jacobabad, Kashmore-Kandhkot and Shikarpur.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 24th, 2015.
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