Suspension of gas supply: Govt hospitals given deadline by SSGC

KARACHI: The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has given a deadline to government hospitals for the clearance of dues of gas supplies till October 10, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The SSGC spokesperson said in a statement that the company completed its preparations to suspend gas supply to government hospitals over non-payment of dues.

The government hospitals have been issued final notices by the company for the disconnection of gas supply if the administrations fail to clear the dues within five-day deadline till October 10.

The hospitals include National Institute of Child Health (NICH), Civil Hospital’s Trauma Centre Accident Emergency, Civil Surgeon Services Hospital, Sindh Government Hospital North Karachi, Govt of Sindh Korangi No 5 Hospital’s ICU Trauma Centre and Trauma Emergency, Lyari General Hospital and others.

It emerged that NICH is defaulter of over Rs5.2 million to SSGC, Govt of Sindh Korangi No 5 Hospital’s ICU Trauma Centre and Trauma Emergency up to over Rs3.3 million, Civil Hospital’s Trauma Centre Accident Emergency up to over Rs27 million, Sindh Government Hospital North Karachi up to over Rs2.6 million, Civil Surgeon Services Hospital up to over Rs3.3 million.

The company will not provide any relaxation to the defaulters after the conclusion of its deadline as no progress was made so far despite issuance of notices to the hospitals, said the spokesperson, adding that a comprehensive strategy was formulated to take action against the institutions.

Earlier in mid-September, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) had decided to stop gas supply to defaulting government offices, public hospitals if they fail to clear the longstanding dues by the next day (September 15), however, the deadline was extended.