LAHORE: Different parts of Punjab including the provincial capital of Lahore, are facing electricity and gas shortages, private news channel reported, citing sources Sunday. 

According to sources, due to a shortfall in demand and supply of electricity, the load shedding tenure has increased up to three hours in urban cities and 6 hours in the rural areas of Punjab.

The shortfall has occurred as the government reportedly failed to reopen the closed power plants.

Meanwhile, the gas shortage has also added to the misery of Punjab’s people. The people are facing it hard to get the gas even at the three times of cooking, the sources said.

Earlier this week, Sui Northern Gas Company (SNGC) added fix charges to the November bills of the consumers after approval from the caretaker government.

According to officials, protected consumers using 0.9 hectometer gas will pay Rs400 as fixed monthly charges, while non-protected users consuming up to 1.5 hecta meters will be charged an additional Rs1,000 in their bills.

Officials say consumers whose usage of gas is ZERO will also pay Rs400/monthly fixed charges.