The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) on Thursday warned transporters that they would start impounding all vehicles having unauthorised CNG kits, substandard cylinders and using more CNG cylinders than the number of cylinders approved by Ogra in a couple of days, if they failed in getting fitness certificate from the six authorised workshops set up in various parts of the city.
"Following the Islamabad High Court (IHC) orders, the ICT administration has started crackdown against the vehicles carrying substandard CNG cylinders. But now the administration has decided to further intensify the operation in an organised way in next two or three days, if transporters failed in getting the CNG cylinders fitted in their vehicles checked from the authorised workshops," said Assistant Commissioner (AC) Muhammad Ali while addressing a seminar on CNG cylinder safety and awareness.
Muhammad Ali said that the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) had set up six workshops in various parts of the city, therefore transporters should get the cylinder fitted in their vehicles checked to have fitness certificate from there. "The ICT administration has set June 15 as deadline for getting the CNG cylinders' fitness certificate, but after the court's order the administration has no option but to launch crackdown against the vehicles fitted with substandard CNG cylinders," he said.
He said that ICT teams were guiding the drivers and people to get their cylinders checked, but after three days the court's order would be implemented with full force to avoid loss of human lives.
Muhammad Ali said that carrying open petrol in bottle or gallon in public transport will strictly be checked and issued stern warning to filling stations against sale of open petrol. He said action will soon be taken against the workshops and stores selling substandard cylinders. "After three days, traffic police in collaboration with Islamabad police will impound vehicles without fitness certificates," he warned.
Imran Khan, a representative of HDIP, said that Ogra had issued standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding fitting of CNG cylinder in vehicles and regional transport association had been informed of SOP. "Cylinder must be fitted behind the rear seat of the vehicle. Suzuki van should install one cylinder, Wagon two and mini bus three cylinders. Cylinders must be changed after every five years," he added.
He said that fitness certificate will cost the vehicles' owners only Rs 1000. A sticker will be pasted on the front screen, cylinder and engine, adding that workshops' number will be increased from six to 10 to facilitate the people in the next few days. All Pakistan CNG Association representatives, Abbas, while speaking on the occasion said that there were 133 certified workshops across the country and the transporters could also get fitness certificates from there.
He said workshops selling substandard cylinders had brought a bad name to the sector and were responsible for the loss of precious lives. Safdar, a representative of transporters union, held Ogra responsible for the loss of human lives, as formulating rules and regulation is its duty. "We have been holding meetings with Ogra officials for the last two years but so far no rules have been formulated," he said.
He said that they had reached consensus several times, but after leaving the meeting they received calls from Ogra that the rules regarding installation of cylinders in vehicles had been changed. Dr Moeen Masood, Senior Superintendent (SSP) Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), said that Gujrat incident was an eye-opener for all of them and urged the transporters to check the CNG cylinder fitted in their vehicles and cooperate with the administration in this regard.
He also asked the HDIP to address the problems faced by the transporters like shortage of workshops for checking CNG cylinders, cost of checking and fitting of CNG cylinder in the vehicles. He warned that ITP police will take stern action as well as impound those vehicles having substandard cylinder to avert Gujrat like accidents.
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