KARAK: The district administration and the SNGPL authorities jointly launched a drive against the illegal commercial gas connections in Karak and registered FIRs against four factory owners and arrested one of them on Sunday.

The joint team headed by assistant commissioner, Karak, Abdus Samad Nizamani and SNGPL chief engineer Abuzar paid surprise visits to the factories in Tarkha Koi and Chongi areas along with heavy contingent of police and heavy machinery. The team cut four illegal commercial gas connections.

Talking to reporters, the officials said illegal gas was being used by plaster of Paris factories, adding gas connections were taken from the main transmission line leading to DI Khan.

They said FIRs had been lodged against four factory owners in Karak police station, adding a factory owner had also been arrested.

The team also recovered a generator being used for producing electricity from gas for one of the factories.

The officials said the drive was launched against the illegal commercial gas connections to ensure that domestic consumers got uninterrupted gas supply in winter.

They said legal gas connections would be provided to consumers to end illegal use of the utility.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2019