Police Fails To Curb Incidents Of Gas Meters Theft
Faizan Hashmi Published April 24, 2022 | 05:00 PM
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2022 ) :The residents of Islamabad have complained against a sudden surge in the incidents of gas meters' theft alleging that the activity was being carried out in connivance with the relevant department's racketeers.
Gas meters of government officials' houses have been stolen in residential areas of Islamabad. A resident of sector G-6 whose meter was stolen, said when his daughter woke up for preparing Sehri, there was no gas in the stove.
He said our family thought it was load-shedding but they were astonished to know that their gas meter was lifted in the darkness of night. He said 4-5 more meters in a day light were also ripped-off from the locality and one of the journalist in his neighborhood was also among the victims.
He also complained for police's sluggish attitude in tracing the culprits who only lodge report instead of making efforts to expose those involved in this crime.
Another victim of the gas meter theft, who resides near Melody, said he was not the only victim but many people are deprived of their meters in a quick succession of time.
He said people are now installing steel cages around their meters to lock them to ensure their safety. "Once a meter is stolen it is herculean task to get a new-one installed to restore the facility", he remarked.
The victims said that they contacted relevant office of SNGPL to inform about the incident but of no use. They said that hefty fee is charged for re-installation of the meter and the consumers have to face the entire financial burden in case of such loss.
One of the gas consumer said that an ordinary thief cannot dare to sell the state's property because nobody is willing to buy it even a rag dealer.
He termed it concerned department's black sheep's' activity, who he said, may be reinstalling them for new subscribers in some other areas of the country to make money.
An official of the Sui Gas Northern Company, requesting not to be named, said there had been the possibility of under the table involvement of some racketeers in this illegal trade from within the department.
He also regretted for some serious flaws in the system which were encouraging these vicious and earning bad name for the organization. These lifted meters may have been reused or reinstalled in some specific areas of the country after tempering, he informed.
According to the victims, people are also being rounded up at the Sui Gas Department office and a fee of Rs 6,000 has to be paid for allotment of new gas meters.
ASI Mehboob of Aabpara police station, investigating such cases, told that a number of cases of meter theft were registered with them in previous days but no recovery has been made yet. With pessimistic approach, he said that consumers after such incident should contact the relevant gas office and police is so far unable to trace any person involved in this incident.
However, the victims have appealed the high-ups of SNGPL to launch investigation into such cases with the help of police. They said it would not be a difficult task to trace the allotted meters of consumers but a serious approach is essential to expose those involved in such criminal act.
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