Expert committee recommends regulatory body for LPG 

• Submits report to President with short-, medium- and 
• long-term measures on regulation, distribution of LPG
• Committee made specific advice to Litro, while recommending common guidelines for both gas firms
• Records 847 incidents from 1 Jan - 19 Dec, of it 797 linked to Litro Gas and 50 to LAUGFS Gas 
• Expert committee to brief Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa today
• Technology Ministry Secy. expects to regulate equipment related to LPG, including stoves
• Says two LPG consignments approved as per standards, one rejected 
• Litro Gas Chief affirms 30% propane: 70% butane gas content will be displayed on cylinders from today as per SLSI
• Says unable to provide compensation to victims as company not in sound financial position 
• Expert committee member Senior DIG Tennakoon says majority of incidents occurred due to substandard gas stove equipment, improper use of it
• Asserts findings suggest it was not conducted with a criminal intention 

By Charumini de Silva

The Presidential expert committee has recommended a separate organisation to regulate the distribution of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the country. 

The eight-member expert committee prepared the final report which was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after investigations carried out in 11 institutions, including the on-site inspections and inquiries conducted on country’s two LPG companies — Litro Gas Ltd., and LAUGFS Gas PLC, as well as inspection of 17 places where fires and explosions occurred and considering the views received by e-mails.

Accordingly, short-, medium- and long-term recommendations were made in relation to regulation and distribution. In addition, the committee gave specific advice to the State-owned Litro Gas, whilst recommending a common guideline for both Litro and LAUGFS Gas. 

As per the report, from 1 January to 19 December, a total of 847 LPG-related fires and explosions were recorded. This includes 797 in relation to Litro Gas, and 50 linked to LAUGFS Gas.

Majority of these incidents were linked to glass top gas cookers and stove explosions, which accounts to 477, while 299 incidents were due to gas leakages, 52 in relation to the hose attached, 15 with regulator used, three due to extensive pressure and only one related to the cylinder which caught fire. 

The Committee was chaired by Prof. Shantha Walpola, University of Moratuwa while the other members include Senior DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon, Prof. Ajith De Alwis, University of Moratuwa, Prof. W.D.W. Jayathilaka, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Prof. Pradeep Jayaweera, Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission Prof. Narayan Sirimuthu, Additional Director General of the Technical Services Dr. Sudarshana Somasiri, and Senior Deputy Director of Sri Lanka Standards Institution Sujeewa Mahagama.

The committee will also meet with the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa today to update him on the findings of their investigation.

President Rajapaksa appointed the expert committee on 30 November, and they were instructed to gather information from all the necessary parties and look into existing studies, views of all stakeholders, and submit a report to him within two weeks.

In a separate occasion, Technology Ministry Secretary Jayantha de Silva said they have approved two consignments of LPG that were up to the Sri Lanka standards to be distributed for general public. However, he said that they did not approve one shipment which was not up to the mark. 

“We hope to regulate the equipment which gets attached such as the regulator, hose and the cylinder. We also expect to regulate gas cookers which will take at least another three months. We will only allow stoves that are approved hereafter,” he said at a briefing organised by the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) yesterday.

Litro Gas Chairman Theshara Jayasinghe said they have commenced to issue LPG cylinders as per the directive issued by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLIS) with 30% propane and 70% butane composition.

“We have taken steps to include the composition of gas on the outside the cylinder from yesterday,” he said, adding that cylinders will be released to the market without any shortage during the festive season.

“People should not fear going to the kitchen anymore,” he said in response to a query by President’s Media Spokesman Kingsly Rathnayake.

When asked if the company will pay a compensation to the victims of those incidents, Jayasinghe said the company was not in a financial position to do so.

Responding to questions from journalists on legal actions that can be obtained over the over incidents of gas leaks and fires, Senior DIG Tennakoon, who is also a member of the President-appointed expert committee, said that the majority of incidents have occurred due to substandard gas stove equipment and improper use of it.

“However, if it is proven by an individual, yes — they can take legal action against the company, but from the findings of the incidents we saw that it was not conducted with a criminal intention,” Tennakoon justified.