MULTAN: The business of illegally refilling of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), fluctuating rates and missing precautionary measures posing threat to public safety as the illegal business went unchecked across the district.
A large number of shopkeepers were refilling LPG cylinders at different markets and streets of the city despite ban on refilling of LPG cylinders as the directives have already been issued that the cylinders filled by the company can only sold at the shops. The business was also on rise at suburban areas of the city areas especially near bus and wagon stands where most of the public transports were using LPG cylinders and putting public lives on risk.
The shopkeepers were selling the LPG on high rates as they were selling LPG at 210 to 250 per kg through their open and hidden shops.
A shopkeeper Ghulam Ahmed told APP on Sunday that he used to purchase the gas at Rs 180 per kg and selling it at Rs 210 per kg to the customers. However, the prices were very high at suburban areas due to no check and balance by the quarters concerned. The LPG was being sold at Rs 220 to 250 per kg in these areas.
Another shopkeeper Subhaan said that he was getting reasonable profit from the business. He said that he never used to refill the cylinders because it could cause into damages. He said that he was following all the precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident at his shop.
Muhammad Mustafa, a citizen informed that he was purchasing LPG at Rs 210 from the shop for kitchen use. He said that there was no proper check and balance on the rates of the LPG adding that he purchased the gas at Rs 230 and Rs 250 also from other shops. He said that the rates of LPG were different at each shop.
He demanded of the concerned authorities to ensure proper check and balance on LPG rates in order to provide relief to masses and also implement standard operating procedure (SoP) at these shops to prevent any mishap.
On the other hand, the demand of LPG has been increased with the advent of the winter season as most of the people using the liquefied petroleum gas for maintaining room temperature to protect them from cold.
However, the riffling shops of LPG in populated areas could also cause into mishaps while hidden shops near bus and wagon stands were also a threat to public safety but the concerned departments were playing a role of silent spectators.
Almost 80 to 90 passenger vans were using sub-standard LPG cylinders and LPG gas in their vehicles despite ban on using LPG cylinders in public vehicles.
The citizens have also demanded of the district regional transport authority (RTA), traffic police and other concerned departments to ensure strict action against the vehicles using LPG cylinders. They said that various mishaps had been reported in the past in which many people lost their lives and various injured when passengers vans caught fire due to these sub-standard cylinders.
