Another viable solution to the gas crisis is to start gas rationing. Instead of closing the CNG stations for 3-4 days, causing immense problems to the people, the government should issue gas-rationing stamps and coupons that people and transporters can use. The odd-even gas rationing that went by your license plate number could work. The last number on your license plate would determine when you could get gas. An odd number would mean you could get gas on odd numbered days only, an even number would entail you could get gas on even numbered days only.
Back in the 1930s when the US was experiencing gas crisis, much as we are today, the American government installed what was called a "govenor" on all vehicles. The "govenor" was to keep vehicles from travelling beyond a set speed limit, therefore rationing gas usage even further. This idea would never work in Pakistan as people would devise ways to tamper with the “governor” Mindless, selfish people are the reason we are having a gas crisis. Why can't anyone realise that gas-guzzling speeders are just making the gas crisis even worse? Many people believe this crisis is made up. They think the crisis is artificial in order to sell the costly LPG. Maybe they are right. But, we aren't going to make the politicians change anything. Who can we trust anymore? We can only trust ourselves.
As a nation, we need to wake up; we need to realise that we are going to stay in this situation until someone steps up to make a change. Each and everyone who reads this can be that someone. It can start with one person, one car, one thought, one idea, one plan. If we work together, if we spread the word, if we talk to our family, our friends, our neighbours, our co-workers, we can start to make a change.
Start by reducing gasoline consumption by at least five percent below its current level; insulate homes and all buildings instead of relying on gas/electric heaters; walk and use the vehicles only when necessary; citizens who insist on driving large, unnecessarily powerful cars must expect to pay more for that luxury.
The energy crisis has not yet overwhelmed us, but it will if we do not act quickly. It is a problem the government will not solve in the next few years and it is likely to get progressively worse through the rest of this century. We simply must balance our demand for energy with our rapidly shrinking resources. By acting now, we can control our future instead of letting the future control us.
How do you want to be remembered? Someone who made a difference or someone who walked away shaking their head because they thought they couldn't.