Darkened by death

Oil tanker leaks have become quite common these days. Speeding and incompetence of drivers are not the only causes of such incidents. The real cause is unwieldy size of oil tankers. Oil suppliers want to ensure a speedy supply of large consignments of oil to make quick money. They forget that liquid load tends to sway left or right as the vehicle suddenly swerves to one side. That results in toppling the tanker.

Oil trains are the safest means for the transportation of oil on a large scale. This mode of transportation is also less costly. As for speed, Pakistan Railways should run special oil trains that would transport oil from one place to another at a fast pace. As an urgent measure, the enormous oil tankers should be replaced with ordinary two axle oil tankers.

Munawar Ali Malik (Mianwali)