RAWALPINDI: The district administration has issued notices to the owners of illegal LPG agencies directing them to stop illegal LPG decanting outlets to ensure safety of the citizens else strict action would be taken against the violators.

According to Civil Defence officer, Talib Hussain, on the directive of the Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr. Umar Jahangir, the department had decided to move against unauthorized Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) agencies.

He told, a survey was conducted to detect illegal operation of decanting and check actual number of LPG agencies and distributors in the district including in Rawalpindi, Murree, Kotli Sattian, Kahuta, Kalar Syedan, Taxila and Gujar Khan and the rules violators were issued red notices.

To a question, he informed that the rules violators had been directed to stop illegal business of LPG decanting else the illegal agencies would be sealed and their equipment would be confiscated.

He said more than 1,000 LPG decanting outlets were running in densely populated areas of the district.

The shop owners involved in illegal decanting were selling LPG in the absence of required techniques and safety measures.

He said these outlets not only risked lives and property of the people but also violating the rules as they were only allowed to sell LPG cylinders.

The license holders had also been asked to ensure minimum safety measures in and around their outlets, he added.

He said the crackdown would be launched soon. “We have written letters to the oil companies operating in the district, requesting them to provide list of their authorized LPG distributors and ensure safety requirements in and around their outlets”, he added.