Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Jam Kamal Khan performed the ground breaking of a number of natural gas distribution schemes being implemented by SSGC in different localities of Gwadar. The ground breaking ceremony, held at Pearl Continental Hotel, Gwadar on Friday's morning was attended by the local administration, notables and SSGC executives, engineers and staff.
The gasification schemes are being carried out to cover a network of 3.5 kms, that includes localities including Shamby Ismail Street, Thana Ward Street, Nagman Ward Street, Model High School Street, Koh-e-Bund Street and Dashti Shamby Ismail Ward Street.
SSGC was represented at the ceremony by Muhammad Wasim, Acting DMD (Operations), Saeed A Larik, Acting Senior GM (Distribution-Southern Region, Colonel Shoaib Ahmed (R), Acting GM (Administrative Services) and Shahbaz Islam, Acting GM (Corporate Communications) who also performed the duties of the event emcee.
In his keynote address, the Minister of State appreciated SSGC's commitment to gratify Gwadar so that the city that holds immense potential can set itself on the road to development. He said that it was SSGC that first provided gas to Gwadar in 2006 in the form of LPG-Air Mix Plant that benefited around 984 domestic customers and 2 commercial customers.
The Minister expressed his satisfaction at the fact that the Company has continued with the gas expansion program in Gwadar by implementing schemes inside the city to meet rising consumption needs. The Minister said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and his government is determined to see a developed Balochistan and is committed to ensure supply of basic amenities to the province including an uninterrupted supply of natural gas. The Minister said that schemes such as the ones being pursued by SSGC also provide opportunities for employment in the area.
In his presentation, Saeed Larik dilated on the salient features of the project and stressed that work is fast progressing on these schemes and is expected to be completed by December 2016.
He said that proposals for other schemes in Gwadar that shall cover additional network of 3.7 kms are in the approval stage and if all goes according to the plan, work is expected to start in December 2016. Larik mentioned that LPG-Air Mix Plant in Gwadar turned to be a major success as it helped provide gas to those areas that were far from the distribution grid.
He said that after the commissioning of gas to Gwadar, similar plants were set up in Noshki and Surab in Balochistan. Larik said that once ECC gives its go-ahead, work will gather pace on the installation of LPG-Air Mix plants in Awaraan and Bela in Balochistan. He said that there are twenty other regions in Balochistan where such plants are planned to be installed in the next few years. Larik said that the LPG-Air Mix plant in Gwadar has a storage capacity of 60 metric tonnes that is being enhanced by installing a separate tank.
In his speech, Mohammad Wasim, SSGC's Acting DMD (Operations) reiterated the Company's is committed towards providing gas to every nook and corner of Balochistan so that the sense of deprivation of the people of province can be addressed. He said that SSGC shares a common vision with the Governments of Pakistan to take Balochistan on the road to growth and development and will continue to cooperate with the provincial governments and local administrations in this regard.-PR