Editorial
Gas crisis
Another case of being caught unawares
Erratic and inadequate supply of gas has been a big problem for city dwellers in several areas. Their plight is imaginable as they grapple with severe cold at the moment.
Consumers get much less gas than they need, particularly during daytime. The Titas authorities do not have a satisfactory answer to the thousands of complaints that are being lodged by the sufferers. We are told that the problem has arisen because gas consumption has increased while its supply has remained static. There might be truth in that simple statement, but what is not so clear is why the Titas authorities could not foresee that the situation would reach a critical stage during winter.
It seems the gas company did nothing to augment the supply during winter expecting that the problem would not snowball like it has.
The gas suppliers have also tried to give a picture of their limitations, and have promised that the problem would soon be solved on a permanent basis. While installation of new pipelines connecting the city with additional sources of gas should go a long way to ensuring a steady supply, we believe that the problem will linger if the suppliers continue to follow conventional rules, instead of working out a need-based strategy.
The gas crisis has also hit power generation and industrial production, which show that when a vital sector performs below the expected level, other important sectors are affected badly. Reports also say that pilferage of gas is taking place on a scale that cannot be dismissed lightly. So the gas suppliers have many things to attend to, besides just telling us that the crisis is a temporary one. They have to accelerate the pace of streamlining the supply system, and stop pilferage at any cost.
The sufferings of the people are, in the ultimate analysis, attributable to poor planning, slow implementation of crucially important projects and the failure to put an end to pilferage and other corrupt practices.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments