Mini petrol pumps operating in residential areas

Bribed officials allow substandard fuel to be sold at pumps which can cause lethal explosions in the event of a mishap

LAHORE:

Whenever the nation undergoes a phase of economic uncertainty, people start resorting to a host of objectionable and perilous activities in order to earn more money, whether it be smuggling drugs to and fro the country or setting up illegal petrol pumps in residential areas.

Despite the imposition of a ban on the construction of petrol pumps in residential areas by the district government, the complicity of the departments of Environment, Labour and Industry has allowed shady businessmen to obtain NOC’s for selling petrol in restricted areas. Although, the risky business of selling substandard petrol at mini petrol pumps in a housing society might prove lucrative for those involved, it is an undeniable source of threat to the nearby locals, who are at constant risk of a fuel tank explosion.

“Substandard and adulterated oil from Iran is commonly sold at mini petroleum pumps set up across the city. This dangerous practice should be banned since low-quality oil is damaging to engines and can cause explosions,” said Qadir Sehgal, an automobile expert.

In his defence, Shahid Ali, who installs mini petrol pumps in Lahore, revealed that the local police, city government staff and officials from the environment and labour departments allowed them to install pumps in residential areas in exchange for a decent weekly or monthly bribe. “If the machinery is confiscated and taken away by the Assistant Commissioner or any other organization or the shop is sealed, then it can be retrieved in the next 24 hours by paying a bribe,” disclosed Ali, who further informed that oil agencies installed mini petrol pumps for Rs200,000, out of which he earned a commission of Rs25,000 to Rs30,000 per day.

According to sources of the Express Tribune, Lahore alone is home to more than 5000 mini petrol pumps, which are spread across nine towns including Dataganj Bakhsh Town, Wagah Town, Aziz Bhatti Town, Nishtar Town, Samanabad Town, Ravi Town, Allama Iqbal Town, Shalimar Town, and Gulberg Town, out of which almost 1000 are operating in the Aziz Bhatti Town alone.

“Illegal mini petrol pumps operate across many places, and they do not even have safety paraphernalia like fire extinguishers. However, we can only issue challans. Sealing the pumps is the job of the district government. The mini petrol pump mafia has become so strong that just a day after a raid, the sale of oil starts again. Senior officers of our department seem helpless on this issue,” confessed the Director of Civil Defence, a subsidiary of the Home Department.

The danger posed by these petrol pumps to locals in the surrounding areas is evident in data obtained from Rescue 1122, which claims that five to seven explosion events are reported on a daily basis at petrol pumps in Lahore, out of which the majority involve fire breakouts. Moreover, 370 incidents of fire at mini petrol pumps were reported in 2022, which claimed the lives of 15 people, while injuring more than 60 others.

In addressing the concerns surrounding the safety of mini petrol pumps, the spokesman of the Deputy Commissioner's Office maintained that a swift crackdown was launched against illegal mini petrol pumps, whenever orders were received.

Director General Environment, Naseemur Rahman reiterated that the sale of oil in residential areas has been banned. “No NOC has been issued to anyone during the last two years. We will take action against violators. Those who say they have NOC's must have the old ones, which are now considered cancelled.”