Illegal gas connections remain despite repeated moves: Titas MD

Despite repeated efforts, illegal gas connections were still in the system as it was not physically possible to keep surveillance on the huge network of gas lines in and outside Dhaka city, said Titas Gas Managing Director (MD) Harunur Rashid Mollah.

“It’s really tough to guard the gas lines. On one side we disconnect the illegal lines, on the other the thieves restore illegal connections and steal the gas. It’s like a cat and mouse game,” Mollah told the public hearing on gas price hike proposals on Wednesday in the capital city.

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) is holding the hearing at the city’s BIAM Auditorium to listen to the stakeholders’ arguments on the proposals, reports news agency UNB.

At the hearing, Harunur sought the consumers’ cooperation to stop illegal connections and stealing of gas through such lines.

BERC Chairman Abdul Jalil, members Maqbul-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Bazlur Rahman, Mohammad Abu Farooq were present on the occasion.

Most of the Titas employees and officials are honest while 10 per cent might be dishonest, claimed the Titas Gas MD.

The Titas Gas top boss also said 23,000 illegal connections were disconnected in December last year, 18,000 in January this year, 33,000 in February and 25,000 in March.

At the public hearing, Titas Gas proposed a 117 per cent increase in household prices while the technical evaluation committee of the watchdog body recommended a 10.76 per cent rise in the gas price.

The evaluation committee has also recommended increasing the price of gas for two burner ovens to Tk 1,080 from Tk 975 while Tk 990 for single burner oven from the existing price of Tk 925.

It also made identical recommendations for Titas Gas like other companies that gas price for per cubic meter might be raised to Tk 5.34 from the existing Tk 4.44 for power sector, Tk 15.50 from Tk 13.85 for captive power, Tk 5.34 from Tk4.44 for fertiliser factories, Tk12.65 from 10.70 for the tea industry, Tk 27.60 from Tk 23 for commercial consumers, Tk 49.50 from Tk 43 while Tk 18 from 12.60 for metered gas stoves of household consumers.