ISLAMABAD (APP) - Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has asked Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) to protect public interests while fixing the prices of oil and gas to provide relief to the people. It also instructed Ministry of Petroleum to keep a vigil on gas producing and marketing companies as there were reports of fleecing the unsuspecting consumers by fixing prices at a higher level without taking OGRA on board. It directed the ministry to take such elements to task and ensure that no foul play will be allowed to the companies concerned. The Committee demanded that OGRA be given powers to review financial matters of gas producing and distribution companies. It made these observations while discussing the working and performance of OGRA and mechanism adopted for fixing the prices. The Committee was presided over by its Chairman Senator Shahid Hassan Bugti in Parliament House Thursday. The Committee was of the view that people from far off areas were facing hardships to find solution to their problems and other grievances as OGRA has its headquarter in the federal capital only. It directed the authority to establish consumer facilitation centers in all the four provinces to redress public grievances. Earlier, senior officials informed the Committee about the working and performance of OGRA. It was informed that all out efforts were being made to provide a level playing field to the investors and to protect the interests of the consumer and the government. The meeting was attended by Senators Dr. Khatu Mal, Dr. Safdar Ali Abbasi, Mrs. Kalsoom Parveen, Engr. Rashid Ahmed Khan, Mir Wali Muhammad Badini, Begum Najma Hameed and Fouzia Fakhur-uz-Zaman Khan, besides senior management of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority and Ministry of Petroleum.