Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) has failed to minimise the period of load shedding and it continues for 10-16 hours so far in Sialkot and its adjoining areas on Monday. The load shedding had crippled the normal life especially domestic consumers were suffering adversely due to the constant load shedding of five to six hours, while the low pressure of sui gas had doubled the miseries of consumers during severe cold weather in Sialkot.
Similarly, the industrial sector was also confronting with multiple problems due to load shedding and low pressure of natural gas in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry.
Meanwhile, socio-political circles had alleged that people's government had failed in resolving the problems of the masses, resultantly their problems being converted into serious miseries with every passing day. The housewives were confronting with multiple problems due to lowest pressure of gas because they were unable to prepare breakfast and food for the family members especially for school going children well in time.
The provision of basic facilities like water, sui gas and electricity was the responsibility of the government but it is very unfortunate that government was ignoring resolving core issues to facilitate the masses they said. They said that government was hoodwinking the general public through its hollow slogans in the country. These circles alleged that load shedding and low pressure of gas was being carried out intentionally by the concerned authorities.
These authorities, they said are only concentrating on fleecing and cheating the consumers by increasing the tariff of electricity and gas whereas the services they rendering were highly poor and everybody was fully aware about their efficiency. The socio-political circles had urged upon the concerned authorities, that appropriate arrangements should be made immediately to address the people's problems to avoid confrontation.
While expressing their views the business circles and general public had rejected the increase in electricity and natural gas tariff. The business community said that increase in power and gas tariff would further increase the cost of production to many folds adding that exporters and manufacturers were already under great economic stress. They said that buyers are not ready to revise prices, which is creating economic constrains for the manufacturers and exporters of Sialkot.
Similarly, the common man was of the opinion that government was forcing the middle class especially the salaried class to commit suicide because they are unable to pay high cost utility bills. The government functionaries had failed in controlling the price hike resultantly common man was in the grip of strong clutches of price hike.