SHC seeks govt action plan to stop use of gas cylinders in school vans

F.P. Report

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to take concrete measures to stop use of substandard gas cylinders in public and school vans.

The court also ordered the institutions to devise a strategy to minimize ratio of accidents caused by substandard cylinders fitted in vehicles.

However, lawyer of the Sindh government said installation and monitoring of cylinders in vehicles was not the responsibility of the provincial government.

Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar said the people were dying and the government representative saying it was not their responsibility.

An official of the Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan told the court that most incidents occur due to fire in gas cylinders. He said people use carbon dioxide in cylinders to save money.

The court asked the Sindh government to unearth the responsible people behind fitting substandard gas cylinders.

The SHC bench further directed that all relevant institutions should prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) and submit its report before the court on May 7.

It is pertinent to note that the crackdown on school vans with CNG cylinders began on Jan 7 after the directives of Karachi Traffic Police Chief Javed Ali Mehar who expressed concern about the safety of school children.

Earlier in January, a minor girl and her van driver sustained injuries when their school van caught fire in Karachi’s area of Korangi.