SINCE the winter set in, inadequate gas supply for household uses has plagued the city life in many areas and halted industrial productions in many factories. According to the Media reports, due to gas crisis, many entrepreneurs have failed to turn the wheels for production in their industries despite installing huge machinery and developing other infrastructure by taking loans from banks. The government though welcomes domestic and foreign investment all-time but when existing industries are failing to go for optimum production for low pressure and interrupted gas supply, how can new industries survive? The ongoing gas crisis may blink the industrial productions as well as the economic growth, which needs a collaborative, realistic and visionary move considering gas reserve for next generation.
The household gas crisis has spelled a human disaster-like-situation in many areas. Gas crisis has plagued for the past one and a half years, mainly, during winter in the city’s Mirpur, Pallabi, Shukrabad, Indira Road, Gandaria, Jatrabari, Jurain, Mirhajirbagh, West Rampura, Rajabazar, Moghbazar, Tejkunipara, Bashundhara Residential Area, Kazipara, Kalabagan, North Circular Road, Uttara and Jafrabad. Residents of the areas usually get gas for 2-3 hours during odd hours of a day to prepare meals and other household tasks. Sufferers who can afford buy gas cylinders and other electric or kerosene-fueled stoves to comparatively ease the hassle, irritating indeed.
Insiders said that there is already a demand-supply gap in the country. The total gas production currently stands at 2,700 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) against the demand for 3,250 mmcfd and in winter household demands usually raises at 10 percent than the regular demand. Most of the industries of the 5973 having the gas connection do not get adequate gas pressure. Around 2500 gas connection applications are pending with different gas supply companies due to gas shortages. Moreover, an insufficient pressure of supply forces the refueling stations to keep the services shut for as long as five to 10 hours a day. Due to unavailability of new gas connection for more than two years and low pressure in the existing industries have forced many to use furnace oil with a high price. So, the production cost increases manifold and subsequently results in losing of competence in the global market.
The crisis is severe. The remedial tasks are hard to follow. Despite, the government should grab the opportunity of low oil price in the global market to make stocks sensing future fuel crisis and substituting gas crisis. It is advisable to the government to moderately rationalize bulk gas supply to high consuming fertilizer industries and electricity generating plants in winter. At the same time, the government should conduct countrywide drives for snapping the illegal gas connections, make the gas users aware not to waste gas, introduce prepaid gas connection meters and obviously all-out seismographic survey for searching new gas layer in earth using the state-of-the-art technology.
