TIMERGARA: Residents of Lower Dir district have been facing acute low pressure of natural gas for the last one month. The residents of Timergara, Balambat, Makakabad, Kadaro, Khema, Manogay and other areas are forced to use cold water and to seek other means for cooking purposes due to unavailability of gas in the area. “Since the beginning of heavy rains and snowfall, gas has totally disappeared in our area,” naib nazim Malakabad village council Malik Ali Bakht said. Nazim VC Khema Kandaro, Malik Ikramuddin, said the situation in his area was extremely worrisome due to the worst gas load shedding. Nazim VC Andheri Manogay Naqeebullah, demanded of the relevant authorities to take notice of the situation and end the load shedding forthwith. Talking to this scribe via phone from Swat, Senior Supervisor Metering (SSM) and in charge Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) transmission Amin Khan, strongly rejected the impression of any load shedding in gas supply, saying that it was only the low pressure from Nowshera that had been causing miseries to the residents. “Not only Lower Dir, but areas of Swat, Batkhela, Mardan and Peshawar are also facing low pressure of gas,” he said, adding that the problem would continue till February 15. Amin Khan argued that every year in winter season, the issue arises as the gas reservoirs produce 50 per cent less gas as compared to that of summer days. PESCO tells Peshawar Circle to improve recovery: The Chief Executive Officer PESCO Anwar-ul-Haq Yousafzai has hailed the performance of Bannu Circle for increasing recovery up to five per cent and directed SE Peshawar Circle to improve the performance. This he said while presiding over a meeting held here at WAPDA House which was attended by Chief Engineer Operation, Mohsin Raza, Chief Engineer Commercial Shabir Ahmad, Chief Engineer Planning Muhammd Iqbal Marwat, Superintending Engineers of Bannu, Swat, Mardan, Abboatabad, Peshawar and Mansehra Circles and PESCO’s senior management. The CEO reviewed the progress regarding replacement of defective meters and directed to accelerate the process. Provision of new connections to the public was also discussed and it was decided to provide the remaining new pending connections immediately. He also directed to replace the damaged distribution transformer immediately in good areas where losses are less and recovery is good. The progress achieved in photo meter reading so far was discussed and he directed to implement photo meter reading 100 per cent, so that over billing complaints of the consumers is redressed. The CEO said that line losses were the main cause of PESCO’s deficit. The drive against illegal use of electricity and direct hooks were discussed and important decisions were taken in this regard. He ordered that no one should be spared who is involved in power theft, as due to power pilferage PESCO’s distribution system is over loaded on one side and on the other side PESCO’s Line Losses increase. He also directed the PESCO Technical Staff to adopt all precautionary measures to avoid electrocution and electric shocks for their own safety.