Strict action be taken against sale of substandard LPG cylinders

LAHORE: Strict action must be taken against manufacturing and sale of substandard LPG cylinders as it leads to killing innocent people on almost a daily basis, said Irfan Khokhar, chairman of FPCCI Regional Standing Committee on Energy and chairman of LPG Distributors Association Pakistan.

According to an estimate, one to two blasts were happening daily due to substandard LPG cylinders which claimed two to four lives in Pakistan on daily basis, he claimed.

We have written many letters to the officials of Punjab government, OGRA and MPNR but no action had been taken against more than 400 substandard LPG cylinder and cylinder valve manufacturers present just in Gujranwala, and they supplying substandard LPG cylinders all over Pakistan.

There are total 13 OGRA-approved LPG cylinder manufacturers in Gujranwala, four in Lahore, two in Karachi and two in Rawalpindi. All other cylinder manufacturers are illegal, said Irfan Khokhar.

According to Rules of Business 1973 & OGRA Ordinance 2002, sale/purchase, manufacturing & refilling of substandard LPG cylinder is a punishable offense. OGRA has delegated regulatory powers to Deputy Commissioners & Assistant Commissioners to stop manufacturing & usage of substandard LPG cylinders.

According to OGRA Ordinance 2002 only authorized distributors & their authorized sub-distributors are allowed to sale/purchase OGRA approved LPG cylinders from on OGRA approved LPG Marketing Companies which are made by OGRA authorized LPG cylinder manufacturers.

The LPG Distributors Association Pakistan chairman demanded a crackdown on the illegal cylinder makers.