Illegal connections: Biscuit factory accused of Rs40 million gas theft

SNGPL demands arrest of owners, closure of factory.

MULTAN: Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) officials claimed on Wednesday to have detected an illegal connection at a biscuit factory which they said had been used to steal gas worth Rs40 million.

The SNGPL task force raided Gibs Biscuits factory on Central Prison Road in the night under the supervision of Nawab Khan and Engineers Jameel Rasheed, Mehar Jameel and Mian Munawwar Hasan. The team claimed to have found that the factory management had illegally attached a two-inch diameter pipe to the main gas pipeline.

Rasheed told The Express Tribune that several residents of the area had complained of low pressure. He said an inspection team, sent to monitor the supply, had reported that there was an unauthorised connection to the industrial unit.

“The security staff at the biscuit factory refused initially to let the team in. They let us in only after we threatened to disconnect gas supply,” he said. Rasheed said the team was detained for four hours and released only after police intervened. SNGPL General Manager Abdur Rasheed Arshad told The Express Tribune that this was the second time the owners of the factory had been caught for stealing gas. He said after the first instance they were fined Rs30 million.

He said the police have been requested to seal the factory this time.

Some SNGPL officials estimated the losses at Rs40 million. However, they said, a thorough investigation would be undertaken on the losses, which could be as high as Rs100 million.

The SNGPL has moved an application against the owners of the factory under the Gas Act. They also demanded their immediate arrest. The application also includes a harassment and torture complaint against the factory security officials.

The SNGPL general manager said he had ordered a survey of the major gas pipelines in the area serving large industrial units.

Cantt Superintendent of Police Rana Mansoorul Haq said that some ingredients of the report were still awaited. He said once the SNGPL submitted the required details to the police, the owners of the factory may be arrested.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2012.