PHC moved for banning substandard cylinders at tandoors, vehicles

PESHAWAR: A petition was filed in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday seeking a ban on the use of substandard cylinders at tandoors (ovens), vehicles and hotels.

Senior lawyer Muhammad Khurshid filed the writ petition. He sought an order of the court to both provincial and district governments to take measures for placing a complete ban on the use of substandard cylinders in tandoors, vehicles and hotels and take strict action against the violators.

The lawyer filed the petition after a dreadful gas cylinder blast at a tandoor in Dir Colony in Peshawar on May 6, in which 11 people mostly children, had died after suffering serious burn injuries, who had gone there for buying the bread.

Three of a family, Nawab Khan, 60, his grandson Mohammad Nisar, 11, and granddaughter Sakeena, 4, were among those who died after sustaining injuries.

The locals said at least eight others, including Khadija, 8, Bilal, 12, Bisma, 7, Irfan, 14 and Haseena, 11, and three others were among those who lost the battle for life at the hospital after they were wounded in the blast.

At least 22 people, including children, sustained burn injuries in an explosion at a tandoor in Gharibabad locality near Dir Colony on the Ring Road. Majority of the people in the locality are labourers living in small rented houses.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government through the chief secretary, Ogra, deputy commissioner, chief executive officer of Peshawar Cantonment Board, Peshawar district nazim and secretary, Transport Authority, were made respondents in the petition.

The petitioner submitted that the tragic incident occurred due to use of substandard cylinder at the tandoor.

Besides, he pointed out in the petition that blasts were occurring in the passengers van and vehicles due to substandard use of gas cylinders, causing deaths and injuries.

The petitioner said the sale of petrol at shops and even at filling stations in cans, bottles continued, which was very dangerous.

He deplored that the government had become a silent spectator to the use of substandard cylinders and open sale of petrol.

The government has recently taken up the issue of frequent explosions due to gas cylinders in the city and other parts of the country. However, there is no mechanism to keep a check on the use of old and substandard gas cylinders in cars, shops and even at homes.