The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has expressed great concern over the “unending incidents of theft of precious cables from the power transmission network”.
In a statement issued on Monday, the power utility said last week, these disruptive elements went to the extent of firing gunshots on a KESC security guard in Gharo, killing one guard and injuring two others.
The KESC said that there has been a phenomenal increase in the extra high tension wire theft cases and these incidents have constantly been brought to the notice of the police and Home Department, urging them to provide protection to these sensitive installations. “The need of the hour is to apprehend the suspects involved in the EHT theft and the junk dealers who buy the stolen copper from the thieves. If the law enforcers can manage to crack down on the vortex of this illegal trade, then the sudden and at times prolonged unscheduled power outages in Karachi can be reduced considerably,” the KESC observed.
The power utility pointed out that the non-stop cable theft has been causing huge financial losses to the power utility and increasing premature wear and tear of the expensive equipment.
“Incidents involving armed thieves indulging in this thievery demonstrate the width and breadth of situation at hand and the stakes involved,” it added
The KESC noted that on March 26, a loop of Mauripur truck stand was cut off where two spans of wire was found broken and one span wire was stolen.
On March 22 there had been an attempt to steal extra high tension wires from the Malir-Memon Goth circuit at Tower No 33 near Noor Mohammad Bagicha. The length of the cut-off wire fell on the Malir-Gadap circuit as the thieves could not manage to take the wire away. But this botched attempt led to the tangling of wires, resulting in the tripping of the 132kV KDA/Memon Goth circuit affecting Memon Goth, Malir, Gadap and CAA grids.
On the same day in Clifton Block 4, a span of blue phase wire weighing about 55-kg was found missing resulting in an unscheduled and unexpected power outage for the area.
On March 20, suspicious movements were noticed early morning at about 3 am near Tower Nos 29 and 30 on Baldia/KANUP circuit and at about 4:45 am near Tower Nos. 33 and 34 on Baldia/Tapal circuit.
The KESC patrolling staff present in the area moved in to inspect, upon which the suspects vanished from the scene.
On March 19, about 26 feet long panel of overhead low-tension cable was cut off from Behar Colony substation No 2. On the same day, two 240mm leads were stolen from Prince Complex substation in Frere Town area.
On March 16, two low-tension leads measuring about three metres were stolen from PIDC Flats substation in Clifton area, affecting power supply to about 50 to 70 houses. On March 15, a gang of about 35 to 40 thieves cut off three spans of power cables from Khokrapar Gantry after overpowering four KESC officials including two guards and tying them with ropes. The attackers also snatched two shot guns from KESC personnel.
On March 12, two neutral leads were stolen from Drigh Road police station substation. On March 8, about 45 feet long low-tension copper leads were stolen from Fayyaz-II substation in Region No 1. On February 28, three 35mm leads measuring about three meters were stolen from Pillar Box in Old Clifton area. Same day all phase leads were stolen from S Fazal Elahi substation in SITE Industrial Area. In another theft incident the same day, high tension wire from Pole No 38 to Pole No 39 at Manghopir Road were stolen. Yet another theft the same day involved stealing of one span of 120 MM neutral phase wire from Bridge Apartments Frere Town.
During the first three weeks of February, over 36 theft occurrences had taken place and approximately 570 meters of extra high-tension conductors were stolen during the month of December 2011 while this quantity grew to about 730 metres during January 2012.
