Ctg reels from gas shortage

Many residents of Chittagong metropolis are forced to buy food or use alternative means to cook as they have been experiencing severe gas crisis for the last one week.

The Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) was getting gas around 50 million metric standard cubic feet per day (MMCFD), less than the volume it usually gets from the national grid.

To address the crisis in the residential areas, the KGDCL has stopped gas supply to a power plant and started rationing gas to another plant and a fertiliser factory, but the situation has not improved.

Thousands of people throng the KGDCL office with complaints every day for a remedy in vain.

"I filed a complaint about our miseries three days ago and the officials assured me of improvement, but still there is no change," said Habibur Rahman, a resident of Bakalia Rahattar Pool area.

"Gas supply goes off from early morning and is hardly on before the afternoon," said Habibur, adding, "My children cannot have breakfast before going to school."

Sultana Kabir, a resident of Shulak Bahar, said they had been buying breakfast and lunch from restaurants for a week. "It [gas supply] comes after 10:00pm with a very little flow and then I can prepare our dinner," she added.

Many residents are forced to use electric cookers and other alternatives.

The most affected areas are Bakalia, Shulak Bahar, Bahaddarhat, Kapasgola, Badurtala, Dewan Bazar, Chandanpura, Sub Area, Rahamatganj, Dewanji Pukur Par, Jamal Khan, Katalganj, Chawk Bazar, Ghat Farhadbegh and Anderkilla.

The KDGCL officials said they were trying hard to improve the situation.

"We have received thousands of complaints since Sunday and we are working to improve the situation," said Azizul Haque, deputy general manager (distribution) of KGDCL.

The situation has worsened due to a recent increase in demand upstream in the Grid and Chittagong gets low supply as it in downstream, he added.

"Moreover, gas is being supplied to Meghna Power Station through a parallel line with Chittagong, resulting in less supply to the port city," he said.

"Although the demand of gas in Chittagong is more than 400 MMCFD, the city gets 280 MMCFD to 290 MMCFD on average," he said, adding, "Supply of gas from the National Grid has been reduced by more than 50 MMCFD recently."

"We have stopped supply of gas to Shikalbaha Power Plant and started rationing supply to Rawzan Thermal Power Plant in a bid to improve the situation," he said.

"As demand for power reduces in winter, we are considering reducing supply to the power stations," he said, adding, "We hope the situation will improve very soon."