Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr S. Aliyev / As a result of the Gas Control Department's May 2006 inspection, 1,359 instructions were distributed. In 152 cases, utilization of gas was prohibited, the head of the Department, Asif Zeynalov, reported on 21 June.
Illegal use of gas was discovered in 441 cases. The total amount of the damage was assessed at AZN 43,264. The funds were transferred to the budget. The volume of illegally used gas made up 780,420cu m.
Earlier, the Gas Control Department was operating at the Azerigaz CJSC. By the decree of the Azerbaijani President, Ilham Aliyev, the Department was transferred to the Ministry of Industry and Energy. The Department will control efficient utilization and fool-proof operation of gas during development of gas fields, production of energy output, gas provision (of production, processing, storage, transportation, division, liquation, and utilization processes), and projection and reconstruction of industrial and consumer plants, equipment, pipelines and other facilities.