KARACHI: Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) Chairman Javed Zia while speaking at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Thursday said that he fully supports KCCI’s demand for representation on SSGC’s Board of Directors.
He said that KCCI’s representation will help in bridging the gap between the business community and the utility service provider.
Chairman SSGC assured full support and cooperation to the business and industrial community in resolving issues and vowed to improve the performance of SSGC.
Commenting on some of the issues raised by KCCI president in his welcome address, Javed Zia advised holding another joint meeting at the earliest either at SSGC’s Head Office or at KCCI so that these issues can be discussed with relevant officers of SSGC and accordingly resolved.
He also invited other business and trade organisations to take part in the meeting in order to develop a collective strategy.
He said that Sindh being the largest gas producer should get its due share and added that SSGC’s top priority is to ensure availability of gas and to improve gas pressure during the ongoing winter season.
He further said that Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) has to be taken into consideration by the industrial units because of its consistent availability and qualitative advantages, and added that more than 550 applications have been received so far by SSGC from the province of Sindh and Balochistan for new RLNG connections.
Responding to concerns expressed over misuse of power by SSGC Inspection Teams, Javed Zia assured that the relevant department has been restructured in such a manner that it simply cannot be misused.
He sought KCCI’s cooperation in making the Gas Theft Operation successful which started recently under an act constituted in 2016, which also allows SSGC to create separate police stations. In this regard, police stations have been created in Karachi, Sukkur, Thatta and Quetta for exclusively dealing with cases of gas theft.
The SSGC chairman further informed that a survey has revealed that compressors are being used by several industrial units, due to which other units in the vicinity suffer badly. He warned that strict action will be taken against units carrying out this practice.
He informed that the Consumer Response Department is also being improved through internal changes and reconstitution of some departments within the organisation.
Earlier, President KCCI Muffasar Atta Malik pointed out that despite producing 69 per cent of the total natural gas, Sindh hardly receives its due share. The abundant gas should initially be made available to industries in Sindh and the surplus gas should be subsequently extended to other provinces, he demanded.
He further commented that the government should provide cheaper gas to Sindh from its own resources instead of the expensive imported Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG).
Expressing concerns over the suspension of gas supply to industrial units on Sundays, Muffasar Malik said that it creates a lot of problems, particularly for those industrialists who have to meet deadlines for export shipments.
To further streamline and stabilise gas distribution, President KCCI advised that gas supplies to CNG stations and the industry be segregated in order to improve the situation.
He also expressed concerns over the deteriorating performance of SSGC’s response and maintenance teams. “Chairman SSGC must strictly deal with this issue to improve the efficiency of SSGC’s response and maintenance teams, which will be widely appreciated by the business and industrial community of Karachi”, he added.
Referring to Unaccounted for Gas (UFG) issue, President KCCI suggested that instead of applying UFG cost across the board, it will be more prudent to pass on this cost according to the thefts taking place in different areas of the country. “UFG losses should be evaluated area-wise and recovery should be applied exactly according to the volume of theft in each area”, he stressed.
