Illegal gas users, equipped with sticks, attacked a mobile court and Titas Gas employees, after they disconnected unauthorised connections in Narsingdi last week. Press reports say at least 20 people including an executive magistrate, Titas gas officials and journalists were injured in the incident.
The illegal gas users, backed by local ruling party activists, attacked the mobile court in course of disconnection drives against illegal gas lines at Mulapara village under Sadar upazila of Narsingdi on November 5 last. The attackers, about 1000-strong, swooped on the mobile court when the Titas Gas officials disconnected about 500 illegal domestic gas lines.
According to press reports, a member of Ansar personnel, Abul Kalam was seriously injured in mob beating and his rifle was snatched away. Abul Kalam jumped into a pond to save himself from the attackers.
On information additional police force rushed to the spot and rescued the magistrate and the Titas Gas staff. Later, a case was filed in this connection with Narsingdi Sadar Police Station against 200 people.
The attack on mobile court reflects that people using gas illegally consider, of course, wrongly that it as a matter of right because they paid a substantial amount of money for getting connections. Moreover, politically influential people who are behind this illegal business assured the consumers that their gas connections will be legalised in due time.
Distribution of unauthorised gas connections is not confined to Narsingdi alone. About four months ago the inhabitants of Mirzapur town informed journalists that some politically influential people, in connivance with a section of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited employees, 'are behind this illegal act'. The gas connections were provided to households in exchange of large amount of money.
Local people there complained that gas connections were given on payment of Taka 80,000 to Taka 100,000 for each single burner. The consumers were told that the Titas Gas management would subsequently legalise the connections.
After the mobile court drive, it was revealed that more than 2000 gas lines were given in nine wards of Mirzapur municipality and some of its adjoining areas during the last few months. Many of those who got gas connections in their houses claimed that they were made to understand that these were legal lines and that is why they paid so much of money. They demanded of the government to take stern action against the cheats.
Time and again the government high-ups have sought public cooperation in maintaining austerity in gas and power use. We know that besides consumption through illegal connections, a significant volume of gas goes waste in household use every day. Many consumers are in the habit of keeping their ovens open almost round the clock for drying wet clothes or to save a match stick.
Such users do not know to what extent they are causing colossal wastage to this vital natural resource. While installation of gas meters in every household is a solution to this problem, lunching of a motivational campaign is also necessary to refrain people from indulging in this evil practice.
In many places, wastage of gas takes place through illegal connections. Close monitoring by the agencies concerned can help check such wastage of gas. The government has, however, started installing gas meters in some areas. This will be done in phases.
On the other hand, a large volume of electricity is used illegally by unscrupulous people in the society with the help of a section of power supply men. The systems loss which is regarded as euphemism for outright theft has been estimated at 10%-12% out of total power generation, according to sources.
The dishonest consumers with the help of a section of power supply men are engaged in using electricity for various purposes. This not only continues to aggravate the crisis but deprives genuine consumers of their rights to use electricity and causes huge revenue loss. In order to check this malpractice, stringent measures should be taken against the unauthorised use of electricity.
However, we strongly feel, the government efforts to check wastage should not be confined to electricity alone. The relevant authorities must be careful about the best use of other utilities like water and gas supplies.
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