He criticised the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) for suspending the gas supply as well the problem of low pressure faced by Punjab-based exporting industry over the last one week, as the exporting units have no option but to sacrifice production to meet export orders. He said the monthly consumption of the Punjab-based exporting industry has minimized to almost 100MMCFD.
He termed it unfortunate that the SNGPL was unable to meet such a short demand of the industry in a situation when there are no supply constraints as well. There is no justification of depriving industry from the availability of uninterrupted gas supply, he stressed. He further pointed out that the industry was unable to switch over to the electricity supply because of the prevailing uncertainty on the part of the Discos regarding the electricity notified at 7.5 cents per kWh, all inclusive, as per the commitment of the government with the exporting industry. Since a clarification is due in this respect, therefore switching over to electricity supplies is at halt and the industry has no option but to continue with utilization of gas supply for the production of export orders.
He has expressed the hope that the government would immediately direct the SNGPL for a resumption of uninterrupted gas supply to the exporting industry in the larger interest of the national economy.