Question : BURSTING OF LPG CYLINDERS

(a) whether instances of bursting of LPG cylinders in various cities including National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi have come to the notice of various Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs);

(b) if so, State/UT-wise details thereof and the corrective measures taken or proposed to be taken by OMCs in this regard;

(c) whether duplicate LPG cylinders are in circulation at large scale in the country and a factory of duplicate LPG cylinders has been identified in NCT of Delhi recently; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard ?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SMT PANABAAKA LAKSHMI )

(a) & (b) : No cases of bursting of LPG cylinders on their own have come to the notice of Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). However, OMCs have reported instances of bursting of LPG cylinders could be caused due to exposure to external intense heat and pressure from other sources in customers premises.

All safety precautions are taken before delivery of LPG cylinders. Knowledge and awareness on safety is increased through regular customer clinics by the OMCs.

(c) & (d) : With regard to circulation of duplicate LPG cylinder, no information has been received by OMCs. All the LPG cylinders received from bottling plants are checked at distributors end for their genuineness and if cylinders are found spurious/ duplicate are confiscated and sent back to bottling plant and erring transporters are penalized as per the provisions of Transport contract. All the LPG cylinders when received from the distributors/ transporters at the bottling plants of OMCs are also checked for their genuineness. Cylinders found spurious/ duplicate are confiscated and de-shaped and erring distributors/ transporters are penalized as per the provisions of Marketing Discipline Guidelines, 2001/transport contract. Comprehensive guidelines on identification of fake LPG cylinders have been circulated to all LPG bottling plants and field officers to prevent their entry into circulation.

Action as per the provision of MDG, 2001 is also taken on LPG distributors at whose premises spurious cylinders are found.