PESHAWAR: The residents in different parts of Peshawar have complained that prolonged gas loadshedding has made their miserable and forced them to adopt other sources to meet their needs.

The decrease in temperature has led to increase in use of firewood and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and coal in different areas, particularly in the thickly populated localities.

The consumers use firewood, LPG or coal as alternatives to gas to prepare food and keep their rooms warm because of the gas loadshedding in different areas.

On the other hand, the rate of firewood and LPG has increased to great extent in the cold weather.

Major firewood consumers are residents of village because availability of natural gas is next to nil in these areas.

Not only the domestic consumers but the bakers have also been suffering due to the gas loadshedding. Some of them have opted to use LPG for cooking despite its soaring prices.

`We are compelled to use LPG as supply of natural gas has suspended since the inception of winter. We are residing on the first floor of a rented building where three families share a single gas line and thus the supply is next to nil,` says Hameedullah.

A baker says that the gas supply remains suspended during morning and evening while it is restored after midnight for some hours.

`We have nothing to do with its restoration at nighttime,` the baker says and blames officials of SNGPL for their failure to comply with the order of Peshawar High Court regarding gas supply.

He demanded of the chief justice of PHC to take notice of the gas loadshedding.