Dangerous transport: LHC seeks report on CNG cylinders

CJ gives October 2 deadline for the report.

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial on Monday sought a report about action taken against owners of vehicles using substandard CNG cylinders across the province. He gave the authorities an October 2 deadline to file the report.

The chief justice was hearing a petition filed by Advocate Shahid Ikram Siddiqui seeking a judicial inquiry into the school van accident in Gujrat in which 17 lives were lost.

The chief justice said that there could be no compromise over the security and safety of children.

He directed the Education Department to file a report about details of school vans using substandard gas cylinders.

The CJ told the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the police to inform the court about the number of public transport vehicles and motorcycle rickshaws using gas cylinders according to the standards set by OGRA.



Earlier, the petitioner said that six weeks had passed but responsibility for the incident had not been fixed.

A report presented by Gujrat police said that they were taking action against vehicles using substandard gas cylinders. The report said that due to a problem with fuel pipes, the school van had caught fire.

The petitioner said that the Ministry of Petroleum had allowed the use of CNG in commercial vehicles without any planning and policy. He said there were no clear standards for gas equipment in vehicles and no inspection regime.

He alleged that the May 25 school van incident had been caused by the use of sub-standard gas cylinder and use of petrol carried in portable cans.

Siddiqui said it was the duty of the PTA and Traffic DIG to check all commercial vehicles periodically and issue fitness certificates.

He also said motorcycle rickshaws were routinely carrying more passengers than their capacity and this could cause fatal accidents.

He asked the court to stop the use of CNG in commercial vehicles. He also asked the court to stop operations of motorcycle rickshaws till appropriate safety measures could be taken.

He further asked the court to declare rickshaw parking stands at Thokar Niaz Beg illegal

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2013.