LPG cylinders: Punjab backs efforts to enforce safety laws

Speakers ask govt to check manufacturing of substandard equipment

LAHORE: The Punjab government has supported the federal government in efforts to enforce laws to stop the sale of substandard liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which will ensure the safety of consumers.

Energy Adviser to Punjab Chief Minister Shahid Riaz Gondal stated this while speaking at an LPG conference on Thursday. Gondal declared that the Punjab government would apply laws on safety standards for the LPG cylinders if the federal government introduced the legislation.

Participants of the conference, the first of its kind where a large number of stakeholders from across the country were present, unanimously adopted a resolution, which highlighted that substandard LPG cylinders, tanks, bowsers, dispensers and other industry tools and machinery were being manufactured without a licence from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority.

As a result of this practice, incidents of cylinder blasts are occurring repeatedly in the country.

The speakers appealed to the government to take strict action against the people involved in the manufacturing of substandard cylinders and equipment as it was causing substantial losses to the industry.

They suggested that the Senate and National Assembly should introduce legislation against the people manufacturing poor-quality LPG accessories and strict laws should be enforced.

LPG Distributors Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar announced on the occasion that they had laid foundation of the LPG Chamber of Pakistan. The forum will work for resolving the problems of LPG stakeholders and its first unit will be established in Islamabad.

The resolution passed would be presented to the Senate and National Assembly for its inclusion in the relevant legislation.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2016.

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