Lahore: CNG stations in restricted areas allowed

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Ali Raza
THE City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has started completely ignoring safety of general public while awarding permissions to new CNG and petrol pumps in the provincial capital.

Public safety was no more a priority of the CDGL and the senior officials are allowing construction of CNG and petrol pumps even on the roads, which are in the Negative List where such constructions were banned in 2002.

Rapid establishment of CNG and petrol pumps in almost every residential and semi-residential locality has become one of the biggest threats to the public safety in the city.

Despite an outcry of the general public as well as people of affected localities, the CDGL pas no heed.

A visit to different city localities showed that majority of the fuel stations were established in residential and semi-residential localities and in case of any untoward incident, the residents may face serious consequences.

However, these CNG stations got clearance from Explosive Department, the residents of most of the CNG and petrol pumps in the vicinity have their reservations.

The recent example of the fact is that two CNG Stations are under construction on Jail Road, which was already in the Negative List and according to a meeting dated 29-08-2002, the DDO® Cantonment proposed inclusion of the Jail road up to Sherpao Bridge in the Negative List.

One CNG station is under construction near the Lahore College of Women University and the other is being constructed opposite the Kinnard College of Women on the same road.

Another CNG station is under construction on Race Course Road and according to sources, commercialisation on this road was not allowed.

The sources said the CDGL has already informed the property owner, Muhammad Tahir, that LG&CD Department has notified Punjab Land-Use Rules 2008 for governing change of land-uses within the area of jurisdiction of CDGL.

A letter sent to the owner says, “As per provision of the rules already mentioned, reclassification and redevelopment plans are under process, therefore proposals for change of land use shall be entertained after notification of the reclassification scheme or interim arrangement by the Lahore District Council accordingly.”

When contacted, Muhammad Tahir on the other hand said that he had all the necessary permissions and the DCO had also allowed him to carry on construction of the CNG station.

Another example of ignoring public safety by the CDGL was establishment of a CNG station on the main Faisal Town Road, which installed a big electricity transformer on a wall adjacent to a school where the school administration had already put up swings for small children. Parents of the schoolchildren termed the transformer as a constant danger for their kids.

A senior official of CDGL said the federal government introduced a very relaxed policy to promote CNG sector. He said that under the policy two simple NOCs were required to set u a CNG station-one from Civil Defence and the other from the concerned Town Municipal Administration.

“CDGL cannot take any action against the CNG station for any violation as it did not come under its jurisdiction,” he claimed.

He, however, said the CDGL, on its own, had imposed several restrictions on the issuance of final NOC to the CNG stations, which included NOC from Environment Department and NOC from DO Spatial Projects.

When contacted, no official of CDGL was ready to give official version over the issue. The scribe also contacted the DCO but his operator said that DCO was in a meeting and would call back, which he did not until the report was filed.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=143940