Crackdown on mawa, gutka and power theft ordered in Lasbela Division

HUB: A crackdown has been decided across the division against the illegal manufacture and sale of mawa and gutka, and against power theft. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Lasbela Division Commissioner Saira Ata. A joint raiding team will be formed to recover dues from defaulters, register cases against the “kunda mafia” (those who steal power through illegal connections) and act against sellers of toxic mawa and gutka. The team will start action immediately.

The decision was taken at the Lasbela Industrial and Trading Estate Authority (LIETA) conference hall, in consultation with administrative officers of the Lasbela and Hub Districts and DIG Lasbela Range Abdul Qayyum Pathafi. K-Electric management, Hub Deputy Commissioner Jamadad Mandokhel, the Assistant Commissioner of Uthal, SSP Lasbela Najeebullah Pandrani, SP Hub Mirza Bilal Hasan and other officials attended the meeting.

The meeting also decided that owners of petrol and diesel depots in the city will be bound to follow firefighting SOPs. Steps will be taken to stop the illegal transport of Iranian diesel and petrol in passenger coaches. It was also decided that an officer of DSP rank will supervise the inquiry into the death of an alleged dacoit, which went viral on Social Media in recent days.

14 hours of electricity in Hub

K-Electric officials said Hub district gets 14 hours of electricity. Under NEPRA rules, load shedding lasts 10 hours in Hub district and 6 hours in Uthal, Winder and Bela. They said load shedding has to be carried out because of technical line losses caused by power theft. They added that consumers who pay their bills regularly are also hit by load shedding because of the kunda mafia. They said the administration is fully cooperating in preventing power theft.

Hub Deputy Commissioner Jamadad Mandokhel said the district administration is continuously holding open courts to resolve problems related to power theft and K-Electric. He said housing societies will have to pay electricity bills. No one will get free electricity, and no one will be allowed to steal it. He said action will be taken against the big players involved in power theft. FIRs will be registered against those involved. Notices and Advertisements will be published in newspapers in their names, asking them to stop stealing power and install meters, failing which action will be taken against them.

The meeting also agreed to hold a meeting with transporters who run passenger coaches. Steps will be taken to stop the smuggling of Iranian oil and to protect passengers travelling on public transport.

Photo: courtesy DGPR Balochistan