Gas Theft Crack Dawn: Stolen gas-fired factory caught in Lahore

Lahore (Bureau Report) During the crackdown against gas thieves across the country, a major incident of gas theft was caught in Gulshan Ravi area of Lahore. A team from Sui Northern along with law enforcement agencies raided a hosiery factory where the entire factory was being run on stolen gas. An underground bypass was installed in the factory and gas worth crores of rupees was being stolen through big compressors. On the spot, the local police also arrested two gas thieves. On the other hand, during the ongoing crackdown against gas theft in various areas of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad, 211 more gas connections were disconnected, fines of 28 lakhs have been imposed on the people involved in gas theft. Sui Northern Gas imposed a fine of Rs 4 lakh for direct consumption of gas in Peshawar, disconnection of 33 connections for illegal connection, besides gas theft. In Rawalpindi, the regional team disconnected two gas connections. In Mardan, three gas connections were disconnected for direct consumption of gas. An illegal connection was also disconnected in Abbottabad. In Sialkot, fines of 14 lakhs were imposed in addition to disconnection of seven gas connections for use of compressors. Five gas connections were disconnected in Sargodha for illegal use of gas. In Gujranwala, the regional team took action and imposed fines of more than 84,000 for gas theft besides disconnecting 12 gas connections. During operations in Gujarat on illegal use of gas, gas connection of seven consumers and one consumer for use of compressor was disconnected. Two connections were disconnected due to illegal use of gas in the federal capital Islamabad. Six gas connections were disconnected in Sahiwal for illegal use of gas. The regional team in Faisalabad severed 40 connections during the crackdown. In Lahore, two connections were disconnected for meter tampering and use of fake meters, one for illegal line extension and five for illegal commercial use of gas. Lahore regional team imposed fines of 9 lakh rupees for gas theft In Bahawalpur, the regional team took action and disconnected 15 connections for use of compressors and five connections for illegal use of gas.
In Multan, the regional team imposed fines of Rs 49,000 for gas theft, besides disconnecting 20 gas connections for use of compressors and 31 for illegal use. In Sheikhupura, seven connections were disconnected for tampering with meters and six for illegal line extension.