NA body asks SNGPL, SSGCL to help resolve issue of low gas pressure

At its meeting the Standing Committee on Energy (Petroleum Division) asked the management of the SNGPL and the SSGCL to address issues of low gas pressure all over the country. The meeting chaired by Imran Khattak considered various issues including gas schemes initiated by the previous government which have not been completed due to lapse of funds.

The meeting expressed concern over low gas pressure and asked the gas companies to address the problem. Members one after other complained about low gas pressure and incompletion of gas schemes initiated during the tenure of previous government.

SNGPL Managing Director stated that some gas schemes had been fully completed and some partially with the funds provided by the government, adding that discussions with the Cabinet Division were in the process for allocation of funds.

Opposition members complained that even the work on schemes in their area is moving very tediously with one member stating that if needed he would move the court against discrimination.

Senior officials of the SSGCL informed the committee that the gas situation in the province was improving now after huge shortfall in winter. Chairperson OGRA stated that this have been happening due to ill planning of the SNGPL as it had not demanded fund for gas transmission in 2019-2020 and now it was seeking funds in review petition for transmission.

She said OGRA would not allow losses of gas in the form of price increase to the consumers after MD SNGPL said there was need to give some relief to the gas company in terms of UFG, because losses had increased due to distribution network.

The committee approved Budgetary Proposal of the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) relating to the Public Sector Budgetary Programme for the financial years 2020-2021.

The committee after considering the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2019, agreed with the point of view of the ministry that it will not be prudent to consider draft bill in the HDIP Act.

The calling attention notices referred by the National Assembly were deferred for the next meeting.

Different schemes related to provision of gas are approved by the Steering Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the issues of incomplete schemes will be resolved in the near future.

The committee asked the management of the SNGPL and the SSGCL to address issues of low gas pressure all over the country.

The committee acknowledged the efforts of the MD SNGPL for shifting the head office of SNGPL to Islamabad.

The committee asked the OGRA to give additional gas connections of 120,000 for the current fiscal year and grant the permission for establishing of sub-area, Pabbi and Customer Service Center at Bannu, Hango and Jehangira in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The committee's meeting was attended by Junaid Akbcr, Malik Anwar Raj, Noor A;am Khan, Shahld Ahmed, Chaudhary Amir Sultan Cheema, Jea Perkash, Khurram Dastagir Khan, Chaudhary Muhammad Barjees Tahir, Sardar Muhammad lrfan Dogar Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Shazia Mari, Zahid Akram Durrani, Ghous Bux Khan Mahar, and mover of the bills, Syed Fakhar Imam, Khawaja Sheraz and officials of the Petroleum Division.