Daily Times

Overbilled gas consumers can finally heave a sigh of relief as the government admitted that higher slab rates were responsible for the issuance of inflated bills while announcing that such users would be compensated.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has also stepped forward in this regard by taking notice of the higher gas bills. A spokesperson claimed that following his directives, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) had announced to compensate overbilled gas consumers on March 11. He added that the extra amount charged from the gas consumers would be adjusted in the next month’s bills and the SNGPL ‘s regional offices were at present collecting data of bills with pressure factor so as to compensate the consumers.

This was also asserted by Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ghulam Sarwar Khan, while responding to senators in a meeting of the Standing Committee on Petroleum, held on Friday in parliament house. He further added that the premier had directed the concerned authorities to rectify the fault and reimburse the consumers.

The meeting was chaired by Senator Mohsin Aziz.

While inquiring about the issue of inflated bills and increased slabs, the committee was informed that high slab rates were incurred due to an increased gas consumption during winter months.

Minister Ghulam Sarwar confessed that there were certain difficulties while making slabs, which depended on gas consumption by consumers. He added that the prime minister had taken notice of the higher gas bills.

The minister added that three committees had already been formed to probe the inflated gas bills. The committee was told that the government was in contact with the Balochistan government and the issues of the gas sector would be resolved soon. It was also said that a strategy had been devised to tackle the issue of gas theft in Balochistan.

He pledged to take strict action against the people found responsible for the inflated gas bills while adding that the government would soon introduce positive reforms in the gas sector to give relief to the common man.

The committee was informed that a report in this regard was being submitted internally as well as by AF Ferguson & Co on March 22.

The meeting also discussed low gas pressure in Kalat, Mastung and Ziarat where it was apprised of measures being taken to improve the system. It was noted how the gas pressure was raised by 1.7 CCF from 5 CCF being distributed in January to 7 CCF this month. Pipeline modification was also said to have been conducted.

Senator Mir Kabir Ahmed Muhammad Shahi believed that even though the situation had improved, gas supply to Balochistan still remained less than required. He said that these areas experienced freezing temperatures during winters due to which more gas was vital for sustainability. He also raised the issue of exorbitant billing in the area.

Senator Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini agreed with the issue and said that the state of affairs was costing the environment dearly because numerous Sanober and Juniper trees were being cut due to the non-availability of gas during winters.

He said that it was imperative that stringent measures were adopted to deal with this in a timely manner. while urging the committee to take a strong stand to effectively deal with the issue. While discussing the present status of Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC), the committee was informed that the federal cabinet had directed that a reduction in cess rate prospectively would be allowed to those consumers/sectors who will undertake to pay the balance 50 per cent arrears, option of non-cash settlement for GST, subsidy or DLT claims will be given as well.

It was also directed that Ministry of Industry and Production would ensure that the reduction in fertilizer prices due to the levy of reduced cess rates passes on to the end consumer and the GIDC be used for the infrastructural development of gas projects.

The issue would be taken to Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) and later ratified by the cabinet.

Regarding the installation of AirMax plants in Balochistan, the committee was informed that land had been acquired for the installation of 10 plants and construction work on the same would be started within one month.

The committee unanimously recommended that a moratorium is removed for Sindh Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as passed in a resolution by the Senate of Pakistan.

The meeting was attended by Senator Mir Kabir Ahmed Muhammad Shahi, Senator Shamim Afridi, Senator Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Minister for Petroleum and senior officers from the Petroleum Division.

Published in Daily Times, March 16^th 2019.