"Households have been switched off completely," the source said. "(Aluminium producer) TALCO and (cement maker) Tajikcement are receiving gas from local deposits."

The source said Tajikistan was in talks with Uzbekistan to renew supplies and postpone debt repayment. The two countries are at odds over a number of issues including energy and water resources.

Tajik media reported on 30 September that Orienbonk issued US$10 million to enterprises to repay gas debts, which was transferred to the Uzbek side. Earlier, Barki Tojik paid US$7.5 million to Tajiktransgaz. Uzbekistan resumed to supply gas to Tajikistan, the reports said.

Uzbekistan this week also reduced gas supplies to Kyrgyzstan, another former Soviet Central Asian republic, for the same reason.