(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – Cabinet Spokesman, Minister of Mass Media Dullas Alahapperuma said that no regulatory program has been implemented so far regarding domestic Liquid Petroleum (LP) gas and that the present government has embarked on a program to regulate domestic gas.
He said that it was a matter of regret and shame that regulation of LP gas had not yet taken place, adding that the Minister in charge of the subject had issued a statement on September 16, 2021 in print and electronic media on the need to regulate domestic gas.
Responding to a question raised by a journalist at a media briefing held at the Government Information Department yesterday (30), the Minister said there was no explosion of the gas cylinders but explosions around the cylinders
According to statistics provided by Lasantha Alagiyawanna, State Minister of Cooperative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection, the number of explosions is unnatural.
The Minister said that so far there was no regulatory body in the country to look into the composition of gas.
He said that the Petroleum Corporation and the University of Moratuwa have already been provided with the necessary information to carry out the necessary investigations.
He hoped that all parties would look into the matter and take a quick decision today or tomorrow and that it would be more effective to expedite regulatory action in the event of such incidents.
State Minister Alagiyawanna stated in Parliament yesterday that 233 incidents including explosions related to the cylinders of Litro and Laugfs gas companies have been reported since January 1, 2015 acknowledging that the number of gas explosions recently were unusually higher than before.
University of Moratuwa studies had pointed out that changes in the Propane and Butane composition of gas cylinders could affect their pressure, the State Minister said.
Under the supervision of the Chairman of the Accreditation Board, 12 gas samples have been taken from the Ratnapura, Kurunegala, Gampaha, Galle, Kalutara and Colombo Districts and sent to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation for investigation and the reports of these tests will be sent to the Moratuwa University, the State Minister said adding that and further action would be decided thereafter.
