IGP told to ensure no CNG kit is installed in vehicles without HDIP certificate

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday directed the provincial police chief to ensure that no workshops in the province install CNG kits and cylinders in vehicles without a certificate from the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP).

The directive came on petitions seeking court orders against the use of CNG kits and cylinders in public transport and school vans. A division bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, inquired representatives of the DIG Karachi traffic as to what action had been taken against workshops which were not certified by the HDIP.

The traffic police representatives submitted a progress report with regard to action being taken against owners of the vehicles who were plying their vehicles with substandard/uncertified CNG kits or cylinders. He said the traffic police were vigilantly checking vehicles to remove substandard cylinders and kits not certified by the HDIP.

The court directed Sindh’s inspector general of police to issue necessary instructions to the SSPs to ensure that all such workshops did not install CNG kits or cylinders without HDIP certificates.

HDIP officials submitted that they had already trained 206 officials of different CNG stations throughout the country. They said that when any cylinders were referred to them, they checked them and issue certificates.

Regarding training of officials in Sindh, an official of the transport department said that the HDIP had trained 25 officials so far in the province. The CNG association submitted that four CNG workshops had applied for licences and applications from other applicants were in the process.

The additional advocate general informed that court that the Sindh government was making some amendments in the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965, which had been approved by the provincial cabinet. He requested time to submit a progress report.

An official of the transport authorities submitted that the proposed amendments were with regard to the fitness certificate of CNG kits and cylinders and their overall purpose was to ensure the safety of lives.

The director general of the explosives department submitted that the grant of licences was the domain of the explosives department, and once the application was filed the same may be considered in accordance with the relevant law and rules.

The All Pakistan CNG Association’s representatives told the court that the association intend to establish more than 35 CNG kits and cylinders’ workshops so that substandard CNG kits and cylinders should not be installed in any vehicle, as they were a great danger and risk to the public.

The court directed the IGP other respondents to submit progress reports by February 23. The IGP, DIGs and all other officials concerned have been ordered to ensure that no substandard CNG kit or cylinder is used in any vehicle, and that CNG cylinders not certified by the HDIP are immediately removed from all vehicles.