Thousands of lives are at risk due to the sale of adulterated Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the market. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has initiated a grand operation, seizing dozens of company samples and containers filled with adulterated chemicals.
According to reports, OGRA received complaints regarding adulterated LPG and launched a crackdown on those selling substandard LPG in non-compliant cylinders. Special teams conducted operations across Punjab and Sindh, capturing numerous companies and seizing adulterated chemicals.
The Chairman of the LPG Distributors Association, Irfan Khokhar, reported the issue, prompting the Chairman of OGRA to form specialised teams. Investigations revealed that carbon dioxide was being mixed into LPG extracted from LPG bowsers. OGRA seized the tampering plants and containers filled with carbon dioxide.
Dangers of Adulteration
Chairman Irfan Khokhar explained that mixing carbon dioxide with LPG increases cylinder pressure from 900 to 1,200 PSI, while standard LPG cylinders can only handle pressure up to 540 PSI. This discrepancy has led to cylinder explosions across Lahore and the rest of the country.
Profiteering at the Expense of Safety
While LPG is priced at PKR 300 per kilogram, some distributors are mixing it with carbon dioxide, costing just PKR 15 per kilogram, to maximise profits. Daily earnings from this malpractice reportedly amount to millions of rupees.
OGRA has taken samples from the seized tampering plants and adulterated LPG bowsers and sent them for laboratory testing. The authority has already fined five LPG companies PKR 500,000 each and plans to impose heavy penalties on other companies whose samples are under scrutiny.
OGRA has also taken measures in collaboration with LPG distributors to recall the adulterated LPG already sold in the market, ensuring public safety.
