John Wilbert & Vikramaditya
Port Blair, Dec 07: Increasing number of fire calls due to leakage of LPG from LPG cylinders in Andaman and Nicobar Islands are raising many eyebrows. According to complaints more than 24 such cases of leakage of LPG from LPG cylinders have been reported this year in different Fire Stations across Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Sources said that in most of such cases of leakages are noticed from connection point between the cylinder and regulator. On November 21, 2020 alone, there were two such fire calls from Round Basti and Junglighat area. Earlier in the month of November similar fire call was reported from Sippighat area.
According to data available with Andaman Sheekha regarding fire calls related to leakage from LPG Cylinders, altogether 07 such fire calls were reported in Aberdeen Fire Station, 04 cases in Bakultala Fire Station, 03 cases in Bambooflat Fire Station, 02 cases in Havelock, Kalighat Fire Stations and one case each in Campbell Bay, Chatham, Garacharma, Billyground, Diglipur and Kamorta Fire Stations, this year.
This is worth mentioning here that many such cases are not even reported to Fire Services and are dealt by the customers or the distributors at their own level.
When contacted a senior officer of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) told Andaman Sheekha that till now no such complaints have reached to IOCL officially. He assured that IOCL conducts regular checking of cylinders before distribution.
Assuring that IOCL will look into the matter, the officials, who does not want his name to be quoted, said that if any such complaint is there concerned distributors must write to sales team of IOCL, so that the matter can be properly reviewed.
The officer added that as per rule, LPG cylinder distribution trucks must carry a weighing machine, in which the customers can check the weight of the cylinder and also check if there is any leakage in the LPG cylinder with the help of distribution staffs. “In case of any leakage the distributer must be informed,” he said.
Although he said that no such complaints have been received till now by IOCL, he accepted that if such complaints are there then there must be some mistakes in some levels.
