The decision was taken a day after lawmaker Ram Kumari Yadav died due to severe burnt resulting from gas related accident.[break]
Consumer rights activists have welcomed the move. They had been pushing the government to intensify inspection of gas market since long, particularly after the rates of mishaps started to rise.
“Unfortunately, the government needed five people to succumb to accidents. This indicates the level of governance we are living with in recent years,” commented Jyoti Baniya, general secretary of Consumers Rights Protection Forum (CRPF).
Five people have lost their lives and hundreds other suffered serious burnt due to gas related accidents this year alone, according to hospital statistics.
To do away with situation, Commerce Secretary Purushottam Ojha said that Ministry of Commerce and Supplies has decided to restrict import of regulators and connection pipe that do not possess standard certification.
“We will write to the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Department of Customs to enforce the decision immediately,” he told Republica.
The ministry took the decision after gas companies and Department of Standard and Metrology (DoSM) officials attributed use of substandard accessories behind gas leakages and accidents. Although the existing regulations bar import and sales of substandard regulators and connection pipes, the market is flooded with cheaper products.
Apart from import ban, the ministry has also instructed Department of Commerce (DoC) to instantly step up market inspection and seize gas accessories lacking standard certification from gas dealers and other retailers.
“Because the sale of such substandard goods goes against the prevailing laws, we have asked the DoC to take legal actions against those traders as well,” said Ojha.
Likewise, the ministry has instructed DoC and DoSM to team up with district administration, police and consumer organizations and test if gas cylinders circulated in the market have welded foot ring and neck ring -- another crucial factor behind accident.
Normally, foot ring and neck ring are inseparable part of the gas cylinders and they contain engraved names of the companies. But companies, instead of introducing new cylinders, collect cylinders of competitors and cut their foot and neck rings, wield new ones with their names and circulate them. This reduces their cost of buying new cylinders and also distorts competitors´ market. But officials said such practice affects pressure bearing capacity of the cylinders, make cylinders vulnerable to leakages and also adds extra weight, something which allows the company to refill less gas in it.
“The team has also been asked to inspect weight of the cylinders -- both empty and refilled, condition of valve and O ring and whether or not companies are regularly cleaned sludge from cylinders,” Ojha said.
MoCS has authorized the team to take legal actions against the companies that have flouted such standard and safety norms. The team will have the authority to recommend suspension of imports and sales dealership of such companies.
The ministry has further instructed DoC, related agencies and Nepal Oil Corporation to ask gas companies launch awareness campaigns, so that consumers are made aware of the ways to handle LPG cylinders and stoves.
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