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LPG whistleblower slams Presidential expert committee report

07 Dec 2021

  • Fmr. CAA Exec. Director calls for urgent plan to recall leaky cylinders
BY Pamodi Waravita Former Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Executive Director Thushan Gunawardena, who first raised concerns about the standard of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) products including cylinders in the market earlier this year, yesterday (7) criticised the report released by the presidential expert committee appointed to investigate LPG cylinder-related explosions and requested that a plan be immediately formulated to recall any leaking cylinders in the market. “There are no real recommendations in the report and there is no substance in it. Rather than telling the public what safety precautions they must take, the committee must come up with a plan to recall the cylinders which are already in the domestic market. Are consumers just supposed to keep a leaking cylinder at home?” questioned Gunawardena while speaking to The Morning yesterday. He noted that the media release on 6 November by the Presidential expert committee, led by University of Moratuwa Prof. Shantha Walpaloge, did not make any proper statement regarding the allegation that Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. has changed its gas composition from the usual 70:30 (butane-to-propane) ratio to a 50:50 ratio, thus placing the consumer at an increased risk. “It is just a safe, balanced report,” he added. The presidential expert committee’s press release on 6 December regarding the matter stated thus: “Scientific investigations are still being conducted regarding these claims. However, the committee has put forth a set of proposals to the two companies to supply gas according to the original composition. We have reached this decision following the analysis of the composition of the gas which was imported to the country and the pressure in the cylinders. Thus, a special sticker or seal on the cylinder will indicate that the cylinder has passed the quality control checks by the CAA, the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI), the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment (SLAB), and the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI).” The presidential expert committee noted that it has investigated the incidents which have occurred in the country from 1 January 2021 to 5 December 2021, through site visits, visits to the two companies involved in the distribution of LPG, and by questioning them. It has recommended that Laugfs Gas PLC and Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. increase the ethyl mercaptan odourant to a correct dosage before releasing cylinders to the market and has requested the consumers to be aware of the standards and high quality products during their purchases of components such as the hose, regulator, and gas cooker. Meanwhile, the main parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB), yesterday filed a complaint with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), requesting an immediate investigation into the allegations that the change in the gas composition has placed consumers at risk. However, both Laugfs Gas PLC and Litro Gas Lanka Ltd. have stated that their gas composition falls within the 30% (propane) and 70% (butane) range, as per the test results that they have conducted. Yesterday, the media reported that a fire had occurred at a school in Deniyaya due to an explosion in a cooker which had been attached to a LPG cylinder. Although no one has been harmed in the incident, the Police are reportedly conducting further investigations into the matter.


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