CNG cylinder blasts: Govt seeks to curb deadly explosions

MOT made compulsory for all vehicles; police directed to seize illegal cylinders.


Express December 29, 2011

ISLAMABAD:


Drastic decisions in the transport sector were announced on Wednesday following a series of incidents of CNG cylinder explosions that have cost dozens of lives. However, it will be worth seeing how the decisions are implemented.


The interior ministry announced to make MOT certificates compulsory for all public and private vehicles in Islamabad initially and later throughout the country.

After a meeting in the interior ministry, the government also announced that no vehicle with open transfer letters will be allowed to function, with effect from February 2, 2012.

Chaired by Interior Minister Rehman Malik, the meeting decided that violation of Ogra Rules will be made a non-bailable offence, punishable with a seven-year imprisonment.

An official handout issued after the meeting stated that illegal cylinders will be removed from sale outlets and police have been directed to conduct raids and arrest offenders, in this regard.

After a ban on the import of cylinders, steps will be taken to curb smuggling, while the IG ICT Police has been directed to take action against all those who are manufacturing or selling substandard cylinders.

The interior minister also constituted a task force, with the Ogra chairman as its convener and including representatives of home departments, petroleum industry, interior at JS level and representative of ICT police and motor vehicle examiner of ICT, to make regulations for fitting CNG cylinders in motor vehicles.

The government will also launch an awareness campaign on PTV.  No child under 18 years of age will be allowed to work on CNG stations for filling CNG in vehicles and the supervisor of CNG stations will be trained by Ogra.

Furthermore, it was decided that no motor vehicle examiner will issue fitness certificate to vehicles unless Ogra has cleared the motor vehicle for plying on the road.

The ministry directed the provincial chief secretaries to close all illegal CNG conversion workshops and impound all CNG cylinders at such locations.

All illegal dealers dealing in the purchase of CNG cylinders/ kits and other accessories will be booked and anybody found selling/purchasing of the said items without a licence from Ogra will be punished as per law, said the handout. Public transporters have been asked to obtain third party insurance for using CNG in their vehicles.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2011.

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