SSGC slapped with Rs100,000 fine after water leaks from gas pipeline

KARACHI:  A consumer protection court on Thursday imposed a fine worth Rs100,000 on the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC)  for neglecting the issue of water leakage into a gas pipeline.

According to a report by Geo.tv,  residents of a neighbour in New Karachi filed a petition against the gas company at a consumer protection court after they noticed water coming out of a gas pipeline. As a result, the court slapped the SSGC with a fine of Rs100,000.

The petitioner, Umar Hussain, told the court that the area had been receiving water in a gas pipeline since 2018, adding that the SSGC management had been completely negligent towards the issue despite complaints.

He said that due to the suspension of gas in the area, many residents were compelled to purchase gas cylinders which not only put an additional financial burden on families but it also exposed them to risks.

He added that he, along with other residents of New Karachi, had to suffer from "mental stress and anxiety" due to the "incompetence and callousness of the SSGC management," adding that a "fine should be imposed on the gas company."

After hearing the petition, Judicial Magistrate Javed Ali Korejo said that since many citizens are facing the issue, the SSGC must pay the fine, adding that if the company does not comply with the court's decision, then the fine will be doubled to Rs200,000.

The court also ordered the SSGC to send a copy of the decision to the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).

It may be recalled that such incidents have also been witnessed in different parts of Karachi.