ISLAMABAD: Sub-Committee on the Senate Standing Committee on Energy Monday underlined the need for judicious utilisation of development funds in oil and gas producing districts in order to ensure fair-play in launching gas supply schemes.
The committee meeting, chaired by Senator Nisar Muhammad, expressed concerns over non-provision of natural gas in different localities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) especially in gas producing districts and surrounding localities on priority.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Company Limited (SNGPL) Managing Director Amjad Latif informed the committee that gas supply schemes were initiated after approval of the government and company itself had nothing to do with it. “The company executes the gas supply schemes only,” he added.
The committee was briefed on development funds allocated through prime minister’s directives for the supply of gas to various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during last two years.
The Committee convener Nisar Muhammad said the commodity should be provided to nearby localities, if no village falls within 5-kilometre radius of the production facility, adding that there should be no political motives behind approval or rejection of any scheme.
The MD apprised the committee about various ongoing schemes being carried out in different localities of KPK including Bannu, Merobak, Karsha Banda, Ketch, Hayatabad, Hangu and Daropazai Palwasha.
He said construction of 106-kilometre Mardan-Swat gas pipeline was in full swing as SNGPL had completed almost 50 per cent work on the project.
He claimed that the company’s cost of construction was less expensive as compared to other national and international firms and its quality was of international standards.
The MD said SNGPL regularly carried out system augmentation work in all regions without any discrimination and rectified complaints with regard to low gas pressure.
The MD SNGPL also submitted details of the contracts and daily wage employees working in different ongoing projects in KPK along with their CNICs and place of posting for the last three years.
Among others, the meeting was attended by Senators Baz Muhammad Khan and Taj Muhammad Afridi, senior officials of the Petroleum and Natural Resources Division and regional managers of SNGPL from KPK.
