Rejecting the plea of CNG dealers association, local CNG dealers have urged the government not to increase the price of compressed natural gas (CNG) by Rs 3 to Rs 56.63 per kg otherwise this business would collapse. Local dealers said that they were forced to sell gas at Rs 44 to 46 per kg in Multan, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala to attract the consumers.
They said that it is a fact that the cost of CNG stations has increased on account of one percent increase in sales tax, high electricity GST and inflation. "In spite of that we do not want to increase CNG prices, it will become very difficult for us to continue to sell CNG at new prices," they added.
They demanded that government should reduce the gas prices to maintain the difference of at least Rs 20 between the CNG and petrol besides withdrawal of 1 per cent increase in GST or change the gas rates for CNG stations from commercial to industrial tariff.
Referring to inspection of CNG stations, CNG dealers said that the third party inspectors appointed by Ogra do not have expertise or knowledge of their assignment and they are not regular regarding their visits. They, sometimes, harass station owners, he alleged. They urged Ogra to assign the inspection work to local inspection company. They pointed out that SNGPL has started sending inflated gas bills in the name of high BTU values from July 2010.