SSGC severs 121 illegal connections, arrests one suspect

The Sui Southern Gas Company has been fighting the menace of gas theft for the past couple of years. Ever since the inception of itsc (CGTO) Department, the company has been successful in apprehending gas thieves and eventually getting them convicted, allowing it to recover the amount of the gas stolen to some extent.

With the increasing use of gas compressors and residents of the company’s franchise provinces resorting to illegal methods of obtaining natural gas from its pipeline, the CGTO and Customer Relations Department (CRD) teams have upped their raids so that this menace can be nipped in the bud.

Just yesterday, said a press release issued by the company, the CGTO team along with SSGC Police and Recovery Department raided a banquet in Surjani Town, where a gas thief was apprehended for stealing gas directly through the Company’s main service line having a connected load of 200cft/hr. The illegal gas connection was cut on the spot and claims have been raised against the culprit.

Recently, in the Karachi region, a CRD survey team confirmed theft of gas at Liaquatabad C1 area, where the residents were illegally obtaining gas via extensions from the company’s distribution line. Sixty-four houses were found to be involved in this incident, and their gas connections were cut on the spot.

In another raid at Jamia Milya, Malir, the CRD team found 51 houses involved in gas theft via rubber pipes. All illegal connections were disconnected on the spot. The total gas stolen in both of the aforementioned cases amounts to 110,400 cm per year (3,450,000 in rupee terms).

Meanwhile, in Larkana, 6 houses were found to be involved in overhead and underground gas theft. Rubber pipes and clamps used in this incident were removed in the spot and claims will be raised against the gas thieves. The company will continue to increase their efforts to fight against the incidences of gas theft until this evil is rooted out from the society.