Energy ministry conducts drives against illegal gas connections

City Desk :

The energy ministry has conducted drives in four districts including Dhaka against illegal gas connections when unauthorized gas lines were snapped, fines were realised and equipment like gas pipes were seized, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The ministry’s energy and mineral resources division statement said the drives were carried out in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Narsingdi and Brahmanbaria under oversight of four executive magistrates.
It said the drives simultaneously saw seizure of a huge volume of spurious or unauthorized petroleum like diesel and petrol, reports BSS.

“The drives are reflection of government’s stern stance against illegal use and marketing of fuels,” it said.

According to the statement the campaign in Brahmanbaria saw disconnection of 70 illegal gas lines when the magistrate realized Tk.1.40 lakh as penalty from 10 unauthorized gas consumers.
The drive at Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj disconnected seven illegal lines; seized 870 feet illegal installed gas pipeline realized Tk 50,000 as fines.

A magistrate-led team at Keraniganj area in Dhaka disconnected gas line from a washing factory, a cable factory and a residential building and seized 290 feet pipe, two ball valves and a compressor.

Another magistrate conducted a raid against unauthorized selling of petroleum products with adulteration at Monohardi upazila area and seized 570 litre of diesel and 275 litre of petrol, part of which was spurious and kept illegally.

The statement said identical drives would be continued in the future to stop gas wastage and help ensure a smooth supply to legal subscribers.