The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources is seriously considering to completely ban use of CNG in public transport due to increasing accidents of cylinder blasts. This was stated by Ejaz Chudhary, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, while presiding over a meeting here on Monday to review the safety measures adopted by the CNG fitted public services vehicles.
The secretary directed the APCNGA delegation to stop refilling of CNG in public service vehicles including vans and buses so that increasing incidents of cylinder blasts, which so far have claimed dozens of lives across the country, could be minimised. The meeting was attended by Ghyas Abdullah Paracha, Central Chairman of All Pakistan CNG Association (APCNGA), relevant Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) officials and others.
It was decided in the meeting that no CNG would be provided to the suspected public service vehicles. Paracha informed the secretary that cylinder blasts in the public vehicles were caused by substandard cylinder and CNG kits, adding that the association has no authority to check all vehicles as it was not their responsibility to implement the rules and regulations. He further stated that Ogra had time and again directed the provincial transport authorities to close all unauthorised CNG cylinder fitting workshops being operated in streets.
Paracha said that involvement of multiple departments in dealing with the affairs of CNG was also one of the main reasons behind increasing incidents of CNG cylinder blasts. He said that at present his association has sufficient material to set up three laboratories, but Ogra, Ministry of Industries and other departments are not giving them clearance.
He said that the provincial transport authorities were issuing fitness certificates to old vehicles without adopting required procedure and this practice should be checked. APCNGA delegation informed the secretary that if relevant authorities provide necessary co-operation to them within four months all the CNG vehicles could be checked and unauthorised kits and cylinders would be removed.
As per officials, about 0.5 million public service vehicles, including vans, buses, rickshaws and Suzukis are using CNG as fuel. Paracha added that in seven big cities of the country his association could immediately establish CNG kits and cylinder checking workshops.
According to International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles, Pakistan's market share of CNG was 61.1 percent in 2010, followed by Armenia 32 percent, and Bolivia 20 percent. The number of CNG refuelling stations in Pakistan is over 3,500. All vehicles having the cylinder altered and designed by local engineers do not observe any security measures, he stated. The vehicles in which CNG is filled are mostly locally made, and are more vulnerable CNG stations being the licensee of Ogra do not observe any precaution while filling the gas in vehicles.
Secretary Petroleum informed the participants that Petroleum Ministry has already taken serious notice of the CNG blast incidents. CNG Association being an important stakeholder should work hand in hand with the government to facilitate the implementation of CNG safety measures.
CNG Association agreed to conduct mass awareness campaign in print media informing CNG consumers to conduct safety testing of their CNG kits and cylinders. All Pakistan CNG Association would publish advertisement on December 21, 2011 newspapers in this regard at their own expense and awareness banners and leaflets/pamphlets would also be displayed/distributed at all CNG stations across the country. All Pakistan CNG Association would conduct random monitoring for substandard installation of CNG kits and would not allow refilling to such vehicles.
To facilitate CNG filling stations across the country, Ministry of Petroleum would communicate to all district administrations regarding providing assistance for controlling refilling of vehicles containing substandard CNG kits/cylinders. Seven days' time has been mutually agreed for awareness rising, after which ban on refilling of public transport vehicles running on CNG would be implemented. Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) was directed to work in two shifts to cater to the burden of CNG cylinder testing.
Pakistan is considered as the leading CNG consumer in the world and very rapidly vehicle owners are switching vehicles to CNG as fuel but unfortunately over the last few months cases of accident by explosion of CNG cylinders have become a routine and challenge for the authorities to formulate monitoring/checking system to save the lives of passengers through such accidents.
There is need to introduce a safety management system to meet safety challenges. Main reason behind all these incidents is poor and substandard installation of CNG kits which after any accident catch fire and explode. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure quality installation and maintenance of CNG kits and take action against substandard installation workshops. It is also necessary to train the drivers for safety measures.