Special Police Stations to be established across Pakistan for UFG
Shares
ISLAMABAD - In a move to prevent gas theft and bring down UFG (Unaccounted For Gas) ratio, the government is planning to establish special police stations at all regions of Sui Northern Gas Company Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC). “One police station at each gas region will be set up with the help of provincial governments to prevent the commodity theft and take action against the pilferers,” official sources told APP. Under the UFG reduction strategy, the sources said the companies were also establishing Control Gas Theft Operation Departments in line with “Gas Theft Control and Recovery Act 2016,” which empowers them to seek prison term of up to 14 years and penalty of up to Rs10 million from those found stealing gas. The two utilities may even request services of paramilitary forces, including the Rangers, to curb gas theft and arrest culprits. The sources said the SNGPL and SSGC suffered 11 percent & 13 percent UFG losses amounting to Rs 22 billion and Rs 26 billion respectively due to wrong strategy of the previous government. During the last five years, UFG losses registered one percent increase every year, which caused Rs 154 loss to both the companies and increase in the gas tariff, they added. Now, the companies have been given the target to reduce the UFG losses by one percent every year, for which they would they would have complete support of law enforcement departments under the law. They said gas theft, law and order affected areas, minimum billing, leakages, measuring errors and shift of bulk sales to retail sector were among the major UFG contributing factors. The UFG, they said, being one of the most critical elements in the gas sector, played a vital role in the profitability of the gas transmission and distribution companies. In reply to another question, the sources said the government and gas utility companies were taking necessary steps to prevent gas losses. They said the government had promulgated the Gas (Theft Control & Recovery) Ordinance, 2016 and involved law enforcement agencies to prevent gas theft. Now, Federal Investigation Teams are engaged with gas utility companies to carry out raids against gas thieves.
The gas companies are also creating awareness among the general public through newspapers about wastage of the commodity besides warning the pilferers. The sources said almost all Industrial customers had been ‘Cyber Locked’ by restricting unauthorized access to the Customer Meter Stations and allowing entry to authorized personnel only. Besides, Electronic Volume Correctors have been installed at almost all the industries for strict check and balance on gas consumption and abnormalities, they added.
