Stations were operating in residential areas and posing a threat to people’s safety. CREATIVE COMMONS
ISLAMABAD:
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has cut off gas supply to 350 compressed natural gas (CNG) stations which were found to be close to mosques, hospitals and schools in residential areas, in a move taken to ensure safety of people.
“We have disconnected gas supply to 350 CNG stations, which were earlier served with show cause notices,” Ogra Chairman Saeed Khan told The Express Tribune. These filling stations were adjacent to mosques, hospitals and schools, he said.
Other Ogra officials said licences of these CNG stations would also be revoked to prevent accidents, if any, from causing loss to life and property in these areas.
The country has also been facing gas shortage for the past many years and the government is now paying attention to giving priority to power plants in gas supply.
An association of CNG station owners argues that the regulator, in a bid to justify the closure of filling stations in residential areas, issued show cause notices to over 1,000 station operators before shutting off gas. This is going to result in closure of hundreds of stations running in residential areas across the country, they say.
The All Pakistan CNG Association insists that all petrol pump and CNG operators took no-objection certificates from 12 different departments under the policy of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources before kicking off commercial operations.
At present, over 3,000 CNG stations are selling gas in the country and most of them are in residential areas.
A senior Ogra official said provincial governments were also involved in setting up CNG stations close to mosques, hospitals and schools. He said the regulator had studied buildings act of provinces and noted that laws were changed at different times.
Several filling stations running close to mosques, hospitals and schools have been identified in Karachi, but no such station was found in Hyderabad. More reports about CNG stations in residential areas are being collected.
The official insisted that the notices were issued in line with rules and regulations and the station operators should give the rationale behind setting up CNG pumps in residential areas. “If they fail to justify, their licences will be cancelled,” he added.
In the show cause notices, CNG operators were asked to explain under which policy they had established outlets in residential localities and what measures they had taken to ensure safety of people living around.
Ogra has already directed relevant authorities to launch a crackdown on vehicles fitted with uncertified CNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders.
The regulator also imposed a ban in May on CNG consumption in those wagons that had gas cylinder beneath passenger seats. However, this restriction does not apply to vehicles plying with cylinder placed on their roof.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources has proposed that CNG prices should be increased to 85% of petrol price in order to discourage its consumption in automobiles. The government has yet to take a decision on the proposal.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 7th, 2013.
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It is a very nice conspiracy to destroy the livelihood of numerous workers in the CNG sector. In Pakistan, numerous people and police have died in a number ranged in thousands because of drone attacks, terrorism and lack of interest by the govt to provide security to people. Can anybody answer how many people have died because a CNG station was near their house???? This is a challenge for anyone who supports OGRA's move.
Moreover the OGRA people themselves should first look into the corruption issue they have. Their former chairman Tauqir Sadiq is in judicial remand for Rs 82 billion scam. Therefore before making comments in the favour of OGRA and comparing their policies to world safety standards, everyone must keep the above things in mind too. It is a matter of deep concern that the even the courts are being fooled/misguided by OGRA.
Government should take serious measure to implement world class safety standard in CNG filling station which meet other requirement. As per standard in public transport no passennger allow to sit inside during filling. CNG station own cylinder using as gas bank also required pressure testing first after 05 years date of manufacturing then after 02 years twice last 01 years then you have to scrap cylinders .Almost all 10 years old CNG station's cylinder complete their operational life so comprehensive tranparent system should be in place to public tranport and life Till to date no ban public tranport with multiple cylinde placed in non standard way within vehicle.Murder cases should be registerd against reponsible authorties in future if any lose of life due to their negligence. Employees of these autorities should be hanged who are playing with public life for their corruption
A very wise decision, as a Professional Techncial Safety Engineer for Oil & Gas Sector I would advise OGRA/Government to take more detailed regulations into practice:
1- Establish standards for spacing of CNG stations w.r.t any commercial & residential buildings based on Fire & Explosion consequence modelling.
2- Establish minimum requirements for Fire & Gas detection and fire fighting.
3- Similar standards/guidelines for LPG stations.
Fire & Blast effects from a CNG station or LPG station could go as far as 150 meters where severe injuries could result in to exposed personnel from fire and multiple fatalities due to collapse of buildings can result.
There is not much involved other than will of concerned authorities. There are interenational standards/practices that need to be adopted as regulation.
The regulatoe must take vis a vis action against all those officials who approved and issued licenses to these CNG stations in violation of rules and regulations (if any rules & regulations were there). These officials are equally responsible and must be accounted for.