LHC seeks policy about use of standard oil tankers

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday sought policy from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), if any, about use of standard oil tankers to avoid Ahmadpur East-like incidents in the future.

 Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah took up the case moved by an NGO against use of substandard oil tankers supplying petroleum products in the country.

During the hearing, Ogra officials submitted their written reply, saying that 1,500 oil tankers out of 12,000 were fit for supplying POL products. The authority said, unfortunately, fitness certificate of Shell company was fake while the record of manufacturer of the tanker was also not found.

An Ogra official said that Shell company did not follow the standard procedure to get its oil tankers checked properly while its fitness certificate was fake.  He said no record was found about the manufacturer of the tanker.  However, he said the company paid Rs10 million fine imposed on it for committing negligence and also paid compensation to the victim families.

The petitioner’s counsel said five incidents like that of Ahmadpur East had taken place which were evidence of the authorities’ attitude. At this, the LHC CJ asked the Motorway DIG to explain what steps had been taken so far to control such incidents in future.

The officer replied that suggestions had been sent to the authorities concerned. He admitted that incidents of oil tankers took place after Ahmadpur East’s incident. He also replied that in Ahmadpur East’s incident, iron sheet of the oil tanker was poor.

Pointing out the reason behind oil tankers’ accidents, he said Anti-Explosive Department officials played their role but tanker drivers did not follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) while driving the tankers.

Anti-Explosive Department officials said that suggestions including heavy fine ranging from Rs500,000 to Rs1 million to the violators had been sent to the authorities concerned.

They pointed out that the oil tankers association observed strike to pressurise the government over suggestions to improve the laws for use of tankers to supply petroleum products.  The Shell company’s counsel said that only his company was imposed fine and no action was taken against any other company. The court adjourned the hearing until September 25 and sought reply from the government authorities.