Amid an outcry over CNG deaths, a shortage of checking stations

The culprit is not the cylinder but the substandard pipes, say experts.

KARACHI:

People who use compressed natural gas (CNG) in their vehicles must take the responsibility of ensuring the safety of the cylinders and auxiliary equipment as the government alone cannot do much.

Small precautions like checking the manufacturing date, valve at the head of the cylinder and sniffing for any leaks can help avert a major disaster, said Shabbir Suleman of the CNG Association of Pakistan, at a seminar on Tuesday.

“The government has to take steps to educate people,” he said. “More importantly, action has to be taken against roadside vendors who have started selling CNG cylinders and kits.”

Since the price of other alternate fuels has gone up, more cars and public transport vehicles have switched over to CNG, something that has allowed unauthorised dealers to grab a share of the market, he said.

“Owners of CNG-filling stations can’t be expected to check every vehicle that comes in. There are 3.2 million CNG cars and only 3,000 stations. You can imagine the rush.”

The seminar titled ‘Cylinder Suicide Bombers’ organised by Helpline Trust and the National Forum for Environment and Health saw industry representatives defending the use of CNG in vehicles.

The general manager of Landi Renzo, the company that makes CNG kits, Majid Nawaz, said there hasn’t been any reported incident in which a cylinder has burst. “In all cases where people have lost their lives it was due to a leak caused by the use of substandard pipes, which carry the gas from cylinders to the engine.”

He cautioned that unauthorised cylinders, which do not carry the NZS 9494 specification, cannot withstand high pressure of gas, which leaks at the slightest jerk.

More than 23,000 public buses, vans and Suzuki pickups, which are in public transport, have started using CNG without any government body keeping a check on their quality.

A cigarette or matchstick is enough to ignite a cylinder. All the incidents in which people have burnt to death involved public transport vans.

Sindh transport minister, Akhter Jadoon, said the government has not allowed CNG to be used in public transport. “But we know the difficulties being faced by transporters. That’s why we haven’t taken any action.”

The public is also indifferent to its duty, he said. “I know there is just one centre to check CNG cylinders. But no one even goes there.”

The president of the Karachi Transport Ittehad, Irshad Bukhari, said the rising cost of diesel has forced public buses and vans to use CNG. “We did it as a matter of last resort.” He assured of his association’s support to ensure that proper CNG equipment is used in public transport vehicles.

A government ban on the import of CNG cylinders has made it more lucrative to use substandard material, says Naeem Qureshi of the NFEH. “There won’t be a problem for a few months since a lot of cylinders are already in stock. But this could turn ugly.”

He said CNG in cars has become a reality that the government must accept. “On the safety side, the authorities must open up more facilities where CNG cylinders can be checked.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2012.