BAHAWALPUR: The supply of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) was remained discontinued for the second consecutive day after negotiation between the government authorities and the distributors again failed on Wednesday. LPG Distributor Association Chairman Irfan Khokhar accused the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) and the district administration of selling and promoting sub-standard LPG in the region. He said that the police were receiving “millions of rupees” from the businessmen of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahimyar Khan and Lodhran districts. Sharing the details about the ongoing negotiations, he said that the distributors have held meetings with the regional police officer (RPO) and demanded the enforcement of the Same Standard Operative Procedures in Bahawalpur Division as in Lahore and Rawalpindi but failed to get nod from the Police Department. Commenting upon the increasing incidents of the gas cylinders blast, he said that in Gujranwala, there were four hundred companies who were manufacturing sub-standard gas cylinders but corrupt officials at OGRA minting money from them in the shape of extortion. He urged the official of the Civil Defense Department to impart training of fire fighting to the staff of the LPG shopkeepers. Khokhar demanded of the Punjab chief minister to take strict action against those authorities who were involved and still protecting this illegal activity in the field of LPG business.
