DCs told to identify sellers of gas cylinders

Concerned over the incidents of explosions due to LPG gas cylinders, Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar has ordered the deputy commissioners in the province to take strict action against unauthorised LNG and LPG cylinders.

In his letter, the minister not only expressed grave concerns but also took serious note of the non-implementation of the provisions of the Civil Defence (Special Powers) Act, 1951, according to which the government is responsible for protecting the public from any articles or substances that are explosive or inflammable in nature.

The letter reads that if in the opinion of the government, any person who has been ordered to take any measures has failed to take or is unlikely to complete the measures within the period specified in the order, the government may cause the said measures to be taken or completed, with the cost recoverable from the owner or occupier of the premises by the collector as if it were arrears of land revenue.

Unfortunately, said the minister, non-compliance of the provisions of the 1951 Act and the Ogra Ordinance, 2002 (amended up to March 5, 2022), resulted in a horrific and tragic cylinder blast that claimed the life of 27 persons and left many seriously injured in Hyderabad.

He said that to ensure public safety, following directives are essentially required to be executed strictly with immediate effect by the DCs: conduct a comprehensive survey in your respective jurisdictions to identify sellers of LNG and LPG cylinders, and verify that all sellers have the necessary licences and permits to operate.

He ordered the DCs to organise regular inspections of the premises where LNG and LPG cylinders are stored and sold, and to ensure compliance with safety standards and regulations as per the 1951 Act.

He also ordered them to ensure that cylinders are not stored or sold in densely populated residential areas, or near schools, hospitals or other vulnerable locations, and to enforce safe storage practices, including appropriate distance frombuildings, proper ventilation, and adherence to capacity limits. He directed them to immediately issue notices to sellers found operating without the necessary permits or in violation of safety regulations, seize LNG and LPG cylinders from unauthorised sellers, and initiate legal proceedings against the violators under the relevant sections of the law.

He also stressed on launching awareness programmes to educate the public on the dangers of buying gas cylinders from unauthorised sellers, and on providing information on authorised sellers and encouraging reporting of illegal sales.

He ordered the DCs to collaborate with local law enforcement agencies to ensure swift and effective action against unauthorised sellers. He said district control rooms must be activated, and landline and mobile numbers be shared with the public through print and electronic media so that they may easily report any violation or deviation from the rules and regulations. The minister ordered submitting weekly reports on the actions taken against unauthorised LNG and LPG cylinder sellers, including the number of inspections, notices issued, seizures made, and legal actions initiated.

He told the DCs to ensure accountability within their teams to maintain consistent enforcement efforts. Strict adherence to these instructions is mandatory to safeguard public safety, he emphasised.

In view of the foregoing, DCs in Sindh have to ensure that shops engaged in the business of CNG/LPG be shifted from crowded and residential areas.