CHITRAL: The provision of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through pipelines to Chitral will help in conservation of oak and deodar forest in the district that is chopped down ruthlessly by people to get firewood.

MNA Shahzada Iftikharud Din told journalists here on Wednesday that extensive use of oak and deodar wood led to depletion of the forest while the price of the commodity had gone beyond the reach of a common man. He said that provision of LPG to the district would resolve the problem. He hoped that LPG would be provided to the district early next year.

He said that transportation of LPG cylinders to Chitral through long vehicles was possible as Lowari tunnel was commissioned for public transport. He said that the only hindrance was purchase of land for setting up LPG stations in Chitral city, Ayun and Drosh.

“The start of provision of gas through the pipelines from the local LPG tanks near Chitral city, Broze, Drosh and Kagh Lusht near Booni town in upper Chitral will be a historical and important moment,” said the MNA.

He said that the gas would be provided to the households through pipes and the consumers would be billed on monthly basis. He said that provision of LPG would almost end use of woods as fuel. The MNA said that as directed by former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, it was decided to provide subsidy of 67 per cent to the consumers. “It will save a large amount which a household spends on firewood every year,” he added.

He said that construction of Shandur Road and Garam Chashma Road would start shortly as preliminary work of both the road was completed. Funds were allocated for the project in the current federal budget.

Presently, less than 10 per cent of the total households of the urban area of Chitral use gas, provided in cylinders, for cooking and heating. In rural areas, the use of gas drops further with tremendous increase of oak and other local species of wood casting negative impact on the environment.

In the winter season, the supply of gas cylinders is affected owing to closure of Lowari Pass so 100 per cent households in the district depend on firewood. The high demand raises the prices of wood.

The lawmaker said that the establishment of LPG storage tanks in different localities of Chitral would also ensure smooth supply of the commodity not only through pipelines but the distant villages would also be benefitted through the domestic cylinders filled from the nearest tanks.

He said that apart from the three localities, it was also decided to set up such stations in Booni, Mastuj and Garam Chashma, which were presently not feasible for want of proper road supporting the movement of long vehicles.

The MNA said that the land acquirement process was in the final stage as the chief engineer of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines had visited the district and decided the matter with the district administration.

The lawmaker expected that the prime minister would also inaugurate the LPG stations in Chitral during his forthcoming visit to the district in the first week of December. He lauded the PML-N government for paying attention to the development of Chitral, saying that provincial government of PTI ignored the district.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2017