MANSEHRA: Work on gas supply to Oghi tehsil has resumed after suspension for more than three years.

“After the release of funds by the government, the laying of 12-inch pipelines for gas supply to domestic and commercial consumers in this region has recommenced,” MNA Mohammad Sajjad Awan told reporters in Oghi on Wednesday.

He said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had inaugurated work on gas project in 2016 but the shortage of funds suspended it afterwards.

The lawmaker said he met high-ups of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited to ensure the resumption of work.

He said gas supply would stop people from cutting down trees for firewood.

MNA says project will reduce tree felling for fuel

SIT-IN: The people marched on various roads and staged a sit-in outside the Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s offices here on Wednesday against the prolonged power outages and low voltage.

“The Pesco suspends electric supply for long hours daily and when it’s restored, voltage is low,” former district nazim Amjad Salar Khan told protesters.

The Pesco officials went away as the protesters showed up. The former nazim said the issue was taken up with Pesco high-ups many times, but to no avail.

He also complained that the company sent consumers inflated bills.

“Power bill recovery is around 100 per cent in our district but even then, the residents are unfairly subjected to excessive power cuts,” he said.

Mr Amjad said the protest would continue until the issue was effectively addressed.

NO GAS SUPPLY: The residents have complained about the prolonged suspension of gas supply to several areas here and warned if the issue wasn’t resolved without delay, they would stage street protests and block the Karakoram Highway.

Shafi Mohammad of Thakara area told reporters here on Tuesday that gas crisis emerged after the district’s quota was diverted to other parts of the country due to the suspension of the import of liquefied natural gas from Qatar.

When contacted, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited’s head in Mansehra Hashim Khan said the recent heavy rains had damaged the main 12-inch gas pipeline leading to the use of an alternative eight-inch pipeline, which affected supply.

Meanwhile, tehsil municipal officer Sikandar Mansoor has said Balakot’s cultural heritage will be preserved.

“Preservation of cultural heritage and building of monuments in Balakot will promote tourism and generate revenue for the people’s welfare,” he told a group of former tehsil councillors during a meeting on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2021