KARACHI: In a major anti-gas theft operation conducted by SSGC’s DSM Surjani Zone Team of Distribution West, along with Customer Relations Department in Surjani Town, around 12,090 houses were caught using gas directly through rubber pipes and illegal service connections.
The operation was conducted in Surjani Town’s Sectors 10/1 to 10/7, Shah Baig Goth, Khano Goth and Dano Brohi Goth in which the raiding team dismantled 125 mm diameter main line from two different points that were being used for the purpose of gas theft in bulk amount.
In Sectors 10/1 to 10/7, approximately 5,600 houses consuming illegal gas from the main line had their connections removed, whereas 6,000, 290 and 200 connections were dismantled in Shah Baig Goth, Khano Goth and Dano Brohi Goth respectively, where these houses were consuming stolen gas from the main line.
In another operation, SSGC’s Customer Relations Department conducted a raid against illegal connections in Lasi Goth, Bhittai Town Karachi in coordination with Distribution team along with SSGC police.
A total of 80 connections were removed during the raid. Initially a complaint of low pressure was received from PMDU Cell from the area, which was dealt by various concerned departments yet the complainant had shown dissatisfaction over the response. The complaint was finally sent to CRD that planned the raid.
SSGC’s Counter Gas Theft Operations’ Operation Wing also conducted a joint raid in Blessing Flour Mills located at New Karachi Industrial Area and found one industrial connection for power generation of steel factory on RLNG, one high pressure RLNG commercial connection for flour mills and one system gas commercial connection for ice factory in the same premises.
The gas meter was suspected for tampering / PUG and interconnected with RLNG connections, with a suction booster also installed. Both commercial meters were replaced and sent for testing and the booster was removed.
Meter Testing Report was received wherein meter and regulator were declared tampered after which FIR was lodged against the industry owner Humayun Bashir. All three meters were disconnected and appropriate claim was raised.
SSGC has demonstrated zero tolerance against the menace of gas theft as it is the primary cause behind Unaccounted-for-Gas or line losses that negatively impacts the Company’s financial bottom-line.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023