KARACHI: Imran Maniar, Managing Director, Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), has said that Punjab uses more RLNG than Sindh, due to which the price of RLNG in Punjab is lower.
Last month, 150 MMCFD RLNG was being used in Punjab while only 8 MMCFDL was being used in Sindh.
There is a problem of demand in Sindh, especially the industrialists of Karachi are not interested in buying RLNG due to which the price of imported gas is higher in Sindh.
He expressed these views in a meeting with members of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).
He said that even in the media, there is propaganda that the government did not make timely efforts to buy RLNG; in fact, the demand for RLNG is very low, and how can the government sign gas contracts of higher quantity? He said besides, the price of gas is high due to an increase in freight charges, globally.
Imran Maniar further said that the country also lacks facilities for gas storage. He stressed the need to set up a storage network for gas in the country which would help meet the gas shortage and low pressure in the future. He said that SNGPL has launched a cylinder facility for home users in Punjab in which they have an active way to deliver the cylinder to their doorstep on a single call.
Imran Maniar added that the gas problem occurs only during November, December, and January, adding that two new terminals are being launched soon.
KATI President Saleem-uz-Zaman welcomed the MD SSGC to KATI and said that industrialists are facing a shortage of gas at the beginning of winter. He said that the process of title transfer of gas connection in SSGC was very slow.
He said that it is understood that there will be a shortage of gas this year also, in this regard SSGC should coordinate with KATI so that timely information about gas shortage can be provided to the industrialists.
Zubair Chhaya, CEO of KITE, said that KATI’s relationship with SSGC is not the same as that with other organizations. He said that the SSGC should appoint a focal person for KATI so that they would be in constant touch and timely action would be taken for the problems of the Korangi industrial area.
Former President Masood Naqi said that the extension of the gas load is allowed by the SSGC but the increased gas is not provided to the consumers.
He said that industrialists are completely ignored by the OGRA, what is the reason that there is no shortage of gas in Punjab and gas crisis for industries in Sindh goes intensified.
He said that cheaper gas was being provided in Punjab as compared to Sindh which was not creating an atmosphere of competition in Sindh.
Ehteshamuddin, Chairman Standing Committee, said that the SSGC should formulate a gas management plan for industries before winter when there is a severe shortage of gas so that problems can be overcome in advance.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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