SWAT: Residents of several villages along the Takhta Band Road here on Saturday took to the streets against plans to set up a CNG station, which they said would completely suspend gas supply to their houses.

Hundreds of citizens from Peer Aman Qalla, Aingaro Dherai, Takhta Band, Ogdo and adjoining areas gathered near the Tyre Factory area and blocked the road for vehicular traffic.

Addressing the protesters, elders Mohammad Shoaib, Fazal Rabi, Usman Ali and others said the district administration should conductasurveybefore approvingthe CNG filling station in the area. They said they had already been facing gas shortages for past few years.

`We have learnt that a CNG station is going to be established near Tyre Factory area, which would completely suspend gas supply to hundreds of houses nearby,` a protester said.

The elders said they were not against the establishment of CNG station, but according to the law, residential areas had the first right over gas. They said per day gas consumption by a CNG station was 100 times more than an entire residential area. They said the authorities should first ensure smooth supply of gas to households before approving the CNG station.

The elders said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority should only issue licences after conducting proper surveys. They said they would not allow anyone to set up CNG station in their area.