KARACHI: SSGC has been relentlessly pursuing gas theft miscreants with an effective blend of regular raids, aggressive prosecution and arrests in the court of law.
Following a raid undertaken by Security Services and Counter Gas Theft Operations (SS & CGTO) Wing and Recovery Department, Muhammad Younus of New Shah Jee Gulistan Hotel in Gulistan-e-Johar was arrested by SSGC Police on charges of direct gas use through the Company’s service line for commercial purpose.
Meanwhile, Special Judge Gas Utility Court, Karachi East, convicted accused S M Aleem for using gas directly for commercial purposes, following an FIR lodged against him by SSGC Police.
The accused who paid Rs. 504,000 to SSGC as quantum of loss, was taken into custody and sentenced till rising of the court and fined Rs. 10,000. Prosecution Wing, SS & CGTO, Karachi, contested the case.
In a fresh set of operations against gas theft, around 230 illegal domestic connections were removed in different cities and towns by the Company’s theft control teams.
The SS & CGTO Operations Wing along with SSGC's Recovery Department conducted joint raids in a restaurant, bakery and hotels in Cattle Colony, Landhi, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Hub-Baldia and in Daharki City, and disconnected 8 domestic meters that were being used for commercial activities. Theft claims are being raised for the recovery of losses incurred.
In Karachi, Customer Relations' Department's theft control teams removed 110 illegal domestic underground and overhead connections in Federal B. Area and Golimar. In most of the pilferage cases, residents had illegally extended gas connections that were dismantled during the raids.
Service lines were also killed by SSGC teams to prevent any further unauthorized use. Theft claims are being raised. In upper and lower Balochistan, crackdown against gas theft miscreants continued with the removal of 85 overhead and underground illegal gas connections in Quetta, Pishin, Mach and Killi Mustafabad. Five 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.
Raids were also conducted by SSGC's theft control teams on houses involved in underground and overhead theft in Nawabshah and Larkana regions, with the removal of 10 illegal connections.
Theft clamps and rubber pipes used in pilferage were removed by the reading teams. Consequently, theft claims are being raised.
In the meantime, strict monitoring and vigilance of the gas theft infested areas are being ensured to prevent repeated cases of pilferage in the residential neighborhoods of the above-mentioned cities.
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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