GUJRAT: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) claimed to have unearthed a gas pilferage of at least Rs200 million in Gujrat region during the ongoing drive against pilferers.

The SNGPL teams also slapped total Rs5 million fine on at least 1,700 domestic consumers for tempering with the gas meters and commercial use of domestic connections.

SNGPL Gujrat Regional Manager Zaka Mohyuddin says the company officials caught red-handed the gas pilferers at two pottery manufacturing units on the GT Road and lodged criminal cases against their owners with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

He says a sum of Rs10 million has also been recovered during the campaign against the gas theft during the last few months whereas several cases of recovery were pending in the courts.

The SNGPL drive is being run in collaboration with the district administration, police, Federal Investigation Agency and other agencies to curb the menace.

The RM says the supply load of at least 35 major industrial units of Gujrat city has been separated from the supply lines of domestic consumers recently and these factories are being supplied the gas round the clock.

He claimed the issue of low gas pressure had been resolved for at least 20,000 consumers in Lalamusa city and many areas on the outskirts of Gujrat city before December 2023.

Engineer Awais Arif who deals with the operational wing of Gujrat SNGPL region says the consumers have been warned of strict legal action over gas theft, while the masses have been urged to help the department in curbing the pilferage.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2024