Six Jamuna Group companies, including Pegasus Leather, have had their gas supply stopped over unpaid dues and alleged meter tampering, writes ILM.

State gas transmission and distribution company Titas has cut off eight industrial and captive power connections to six Jamuna Group companies: Pegasus Leather, Jamuna Knitting and Dyeing, Jamuna Denims, Shameem Composite Mills, Shameem Spinning Mills and Jamuna Spinning Mills.

While other connections were severed due to charges of illegal interference with meters, use of boosters and interconnections, supply to Pegasus Leather was interrupted due to unpaid bills.

Titas Manager Mostafa Mahbub said: “The factories had huge dues from 2008. We visited one of the factories to collect the dues and found that the meter was tampered with.”

A pneumatic valve operating system was used to ensure the meter is shut while the connection remained uninterrupted, allowing companies to dodge 90% of bills, Mahbub said.

Titas is in the process of calculating the total dues, but noted that the companies already owe Tk28.8 million (US$303,500).