KARACHI: SSGC continued to tighten the noose on gas theft miscreants through multiple targeted raids in its franchise provinces of Sindh and Balochistan and arrests in Karachi and Sukkur.
The company's Security Services and Counter Gas Theft Operations (SS & CGTO) continued to make major inroads against commercial theft. In Karachi, SS & CGTO along with SSGC Police and Recovery Department conducted a joint raid on a hotel in Preddy Street, Saddar and arrested Hidayat-ur-Rehman for using gas directly through service line. In Sukkur, Sindh High Court bench dismissed pre-arrest bail of accused Nisar Ahmed and sent him to jail for using gas directly from the distribution line for commercial purposes. Meanwhile in Karachi in three separate cases, accused Naveed, Noor Mohammad and Shan were convicted by Special Gas Utility Court for direct gas use.
In fresh operations, around 1106 illegal domestic connections were removed in different cities and towns by the company’s theft control teams.
In Karachi, the Customer Relations Department’s theft control teams removed more than 824 illegal domestic underground and overhead connections in Nazimabad, North Karachi, F.B. Area, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, Malir, Model Colony, Gulistan-e-Johar and Pipri. In the pilferage cases, residents had illegally extended gas connections that were dismantled during the raids. Service lines were also killed by the SSGC teams to prevent any further unauthorized use. Theft claims are being raised for the recovery of losses incurred. More than 5 fake meters were also removed during the raids.
Raids were also conducted by SSGC's theft control teams on houses involved in underground and overhead theft in Hyderabad, Dadu, Nawabshah and Larkana regions, with the removal of 55 illegal domestic connections. Theft clamps and rubber pipes used in pilferage were removed by the reading teams. FIR was lodged against culprits involved in domestic theft through direct line in Jacobabad. Consequently, theft claims are being raised.
Meanwhile, in upper and lower Balochistan, crackdown against gas theft miscreants continued with removal of 227 overhead and underground illegal gas connections in Quetta, Kalat, Kuchluk, Ziarat and Dera Allayar regions. More than 5 fake meters were found that were also disconnected. In addition, clamps and rubber pipes used in gas theft were removed and confiscated by the theft control teams. Theft claims are also being raised.
In the meantime, strict monitoring and vigilance of the gas theft infested areas will be ensured to prevent repeated cases of pilferage in the residential neighbourhoods of the above-mentioned cities.
The SSGC is laser focused towards controlling the menace of gas theft through regular raids and aggressive prosecution. Gas theft is one of the major reasons behind Unaccounted-for-Gas (UFG) or line losses being incurred by SSGC.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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