LAHORE: In a drive against gas pilferage since Sept 7, the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has detected 385 cases related to gas theft across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

The teams also detected 73 cases of unlawful supply of gas from one consumer to another, 317 related to the extraction of gas by consumers using compressors, and 206 cases related to the unlawful use of gas due to other reasons. Up to 23 FIRs were lodged against major gas thieves.

The report says that in the Peshawar region, teams removed 56 bypass connections with fake meters and 67 illegal gas supply networks. Also, 11 FIRs were registered in this regard.

In the Rawalpindi region, 39 bypass connections with fake meters were unearthed, along with four illegal networks and one case related to gas extraction through compressors.

Four FIRs were also lodged in the region.

The Mardan region unearthed 33 gas theft cases through tampering with meters, 24 bypass connections with fake meters, and three cases related to gas supply through other illegal means.

The Sialkot region reported 101 cases of gas use through compressors and five cases through other means. Sargodha reported only one case of bypass/fake meter, one of compressor use, and 10 cases of other means. One FIR was registered here.

SNGPL’s Gujranwala region uncovered five cases of meter tampering, 45 cases of gas use with compressors, and 12 cases of gas use through other illegal means. The Gujrat region reported only four cases of compressor use.

The Islamabad region detected nine cases of bypass/fake meter connections and six cases related to gas use through other means.

The Sahiwal region found only one case of bypass connection, three cases of compressor use, and seven cases of gas use through other means.

The company’s Faisalabad region detected 21 cases of meter tampering, one of bypass/fake meter, 10 of gas use with compressors, and 27 cases of gas use through other means. One FIR was also lodged here.

In the Lahore region, 193 cases of meter tampering were discovered, along with one case of bypass connection, seven bypass connections, 24 cases of gas use with compressors, and 29 miscellaneous cases. One FIR was also lodged here. In Bahawalpur, teams caught one case of gas supply through illegal means, 50 cases of gas use through compressors, and 22 cases related to miscellaneous violations. One FIR was registered here.

Multan reported only one case of an illegal gas network, 52 cases of gas use with compressors, and 34 miscellaneous cases. Four FIRs were lodged here. The company’s Sheikhupura region reported 207 cases of meter tampering, 20 of bypass connection, six illegal networks, 84 related to compressor use, and 77 of other nature. One FIR was also registered here.

LESCO: The Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) caught 399 customers stealing electricity on Sunday and Monday.

According to a spokesman, 202 FIRs have been registered, and 26 people arrested.

Teams detected one industrial, two agricultural, 13 commercial, and 283 domestic connections from which customers were stealing electricity.

The company charged over 950,000 units to electricity thieves in the form of detection bills amounting to over Rs42 million.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2023