LAHORE: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) teams have disconnected 7,187 connections — 7,144 domestic and 43 commercial — in several operations from September 8 to date in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to gas pilferage and other complaints.

       The company imposing heavy fines totalling Rs55.2 million, according to an SNGPL spokesperson.

       “Over the past 17 days, we have disconnected a total of 7,187 connections across all regions of the company,” said the spokesperson while talking to Dawn on Sunday.

       “We will provide a complete breakdown by region on Monday (today),” he added when asked for region-specific details.

       Lesco campaign recovered Rs346.45m from 10,878 defaulters

       According to a press release from SNGPL, in Lahore on Sunday, the company teams disconnected 15 connections for illegal gas use, lodged six FIRs against gas thieves, and arrested two culprits, imposing a fine of Rs302,000 for gas theft.

       In Bahawalpur, the regional team disconnected 10 connections for compressor use and one for gas theft. In Multan, the company disconnected eight connections for compressor use and 21 for gas theft. In Sheikhupura, six connections were disconnected by the regional team.

       In Rawalpindi, the regional team disconnected seven gas connections and imposed a fine of Rs110,000 for gas theft. In Sialkot, the company disconnected one connection for compressor use and eight for illegal use. In Sargodha the company disconnected one connection on use of compressor and five due to illegal use while imposing fine of Rs12,897.

       In Gujranwala, 13 connections were disconnected for illegal gas use, with fine of Rs178,000 imposed for gas theft. In Gujrat, two connections were disconnected for illegal gas use.

       In Islamabad, the company disconnected two connections. In Faisalabad, the team disconnected 12 connections for gas theft.

       460 power theft cases detected

       Meanwhile, Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) teams detected 460 power-theft cases on Sunday, resulting in 21 arrests and fines totalling Rs37.879m for power pilferers.

       The company is also actively pursuing a recovery drive from chronic defaulters, having recovered Rs23.55m from 763 defaulters on Sunday.

       The spokesman said the team recovered Rs3.83m from 83 defaulters in the northern circle, Rs4.37m from 105 defaulters in the eastern circle, Rs3.84m from 85 defaulters in the central circle, Rs1.79m from 46 defaulters in the south circle, Rs1.37m from 57 defaulters in Nankana circle, Rs2.19m from 97 defaulters in Sheikhupura circle, Rs1.75m from 128 defaulters in Kasur circle, and Rs4.41m from 162 defaulters in Okara circle.

       The spokesperson said that during the campaign, an overall recovery of Rs346.45m from 10,878 defaulters has been made so far.

       Published in Dawn, September 25th, 2023