SSGC unearths more gas theft in Karachi, upper Sindh

The SSGC’s zero tolerance towards the menace of gas theft has continued with persistent anti-gas theft raids across its franchise areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

In areas including Yousuf Sahib Khan Goth, Ghareeb Nawaz Colony, Maymar Hijri, the SSGC’s Customer Relations Department (CRD) discovered rubber pipes being used illegally to supply gas to 150 houses.

The approximate volume of theft calculated was 144,000 cm per year (Rs4,500,000 in monetary terms). The team disconnected illegal connections and two service risers during the raid. In Quetta Town, Karachi, the CRD discovered blatant theft via rubber pipes for providing gas illegally to 42 residents. The raiding team dismantled the connections in a swift operation. The approximate volume of theft calculated was 40,320 cm per year (Rs1,260,000 in monetary terms). The area has since been under strict supervision for keeping gas theft miscreants at bay.

Meanwhile, gas theft was discovered in blocks 3 to 5 in Nazimabad, Karachi, where residents had extended an illegal gas supply arrangement through rubber pipes to benefit 65 users. All connections were dismantled during the raid. The approximate volume of theft in the area was found to be 62,400 cm per year (Rs1,950,000).

In yet another Karachi area, residents had extended an illegal gas set-up through rubber pipes to provide connections to 50 houses. The approximate theft volume calculated was 48,000 cm per year (Rs1,500,000). The CRD took another raid in Chapel Garden apartments in Karachi’s Central Zone where gas was being illegally supplied to 20 residents through rubber pipes. The raiding party dismantled illegal connections. The approximate volume calculated was 19,200 cm per year (Rs60,000 in monetary terms).

A significant raid was carried out by a Distribution Zonal team in the Hyderabad region on the basis of the complaint lodged by a local resident in the SSGC’s physical kachehri (open forum) about low gas pressure and gas theft in various locations, including village Karan Khan Shoro and Qasimabad. Excavation work was conducted whereby six underground theft clamps were found installed on 63 mm dia. feeder main, supplying gas to 6 houses. Theft clamps were promptly removed during the raid.

Meanwhile, another raid in Sukkur unraveled gas theft being carried out through underground clamps for providing gas to 7 houses at Burma Shell Depo and 5 houses in Mir Khan Shahani Ranipur village in Sukkur. Clamps were removed and connections were promptly dismantled by the raiding teams. Following a scheduled leak survey, at Budho Palari, Qasimabad, heavy leak spots were identified, upon which excavation was carried out whereby two underground theft clamps were exposed, installed on 4’ dia. gas pipeline supplying gas to three houses. Theft clamps were removed and maintenance work was done. In Larkana region’s Jacobabad area, at least four houses had their connections dismantled due to theft through rubber pipes.