Provisions for penalizing officers and employees engaged in illegal gas trading are being incorporated into the Gas Distribution Rules.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division has already issued instructions to Petrobangla on making this addition.
Previously, actions were directed solely against individuals involved in such activities, but now the focus is on permanently integrating these provisions into the Gas Distribution Regulations.
Section 64 of the Gas Distribution Rules-2019 defines “Illegal or unauthorized or extra-legal or extraordinary activity” as acquiring a gas connection without adhering to the rules or regulations governing gas connections from the existing natural gas distribution network or establishment, encompassing activities such as gas consumption.
Meanwhile, Section 65 stipulates that “gas rigging” refers to the fraudulent theft of gas and the unrecorded or non-billing use of gas through illegal, unauthorized or unlawful means.
However, these provisions solely place responsibility on the customer, with no mention of consequences for officials and employees engaged in corruption.
Notably, there is a significant omission in these statements regarding how officials and employees of the distribution company should be dealt with if they are involved in such activities.
In Gas Distribution Rules-2019, Section 57 addresses rigging by contractors, outlining the fact that the involvement of contractors in gas rigging will result in the cancellation of their registration and the declaration of their representatives as ineligible to perform their duties.
Furthermore, the rule mandates informing other distribution companies under Petrobangla and initiating necessary legal action against the contractor.
Recent efforts to curb illegal gas trading, including the formation of a ministry committee, have exposed a concerning trend of reconnection of gas lines that were previously cut.
Ministry investigations have revealed the involvement of a certain class of officers and employees from the distribution company in this illicit trade.
While there are existing legal provisions for their prosecution, the Gas Distribution Rules currently do not provide an effective means for immediate action.
In response to these concerns, an official at the Energy Department emphasized the need for provisions within the gas marketing regulations specifying the penalties to be imposed if representatives of distribution companies are found engaged in dishonest activities.
Instructions have been issued to Petrobangla to address this issue.
According to the minutes of a meeting, signed by Energy Secretary Nurul Alam, Petrobangla has been instructed to revise the gas marketing rules within a month and submit them to the ministry for consideration.
