Severe gas shortage in the capital has affected households, commercial and industrial units in the last few weeks, a number of victims said Saturday.
They did not get adequate gas supply even on weekends Friday and Saturday as their cookers, boilers and CNG refuelling stations could not operate.Director (marketing) of the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd (TGTDCL) Engr. Ashav Uddin blamed chilly weather and lack of adequate supply from the Petrobangla for the gas crisis in the city and adjacent areas.
“Usually, gas supply is obstructed when the weather becomes cool,” he told the FE.
Households, CNG stations and ready-made-garment (RMG) and other factories at different areas including Mirpur, Farmgate, Indira Road, Eskaton Road, Mohammadpur, Kalyanpur, Shantinagar, Maghbazar, Rampura, and Malibagh are not getting adequate gas supply over the last two to three days, some victims said.
Meherul Islam, a manager of a garment factory in Mirpur area, said they had not been getting adequate gas over the last few weeks. This affected operation of their boilers as well as garment production, he pointed out.
If the inadequate gas supply continues like that of the last few days, we would sustain huge losses in our business, he told the FE.
“We are already facing the massive impact of political turmoil on the garment sector in the country. Now if gas is not supplied properly by the authority, it will be very difficult for us to operate our businesses,” Mr Islam said.
Nadia Afroz, a housewife at Dhaka’s Mirpur area told the FE: “I failed to prepare breakfast and lunch today. The gas supply was so negligible that my cookers could not be run.”
“I could not get adequate gas supply over the last couple of weeks,” she said.
A senior TGTDCL official said they receive nearly 1350-1400 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMCFD) against the demand for nearly 1600 MMCFD.
Besides, the chilly weather over the last few days has affected the gas pressure as the supply through pipeline usually falls in this temperature, he said.
A CNG filling station operator at Maghbazar in Dhaka said the pressure has fallen alarmingly. It takes more time now than the usual for refueling the vehicles.
The capital’s many refueling stations now see long queues of vehicles due to short supply of the natural gas.
Another TGTDCL official said: “Pipelines in most of the city areas are very old. Those need pigging (repair) and replacement immediately for ensuring smooth gas supply.”
If the pipelines are repaired and replaced, gas pressure would be boosted under the existing supply system, he added.
The gas supply shortage has not only affected the daily operation of household chores, business and industries in Dhaka city but also reduced power generation in different plants across the country.
Fertiliser production in some factories has also been affected due to gas shortage against the demand.
The state-run energy corporation Petrobangla Friday supplied 2300 MMCFD gas from all the fields across the country against the demand for more than 2500 MMCFD, officials said.
Courtesy of The Financial Express
