Date:22/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/01/22/stories/2005012201820700.htm

Back Concern over import of life-expired gas cylinders

Our Bureau

Chennai , Jan. 21

OLD, life-expired gas cylinders finding their way into India for LPG and CNG applications is an area of concern, according to Mr M. Anbunathan, Chief Controller of Explosives.

The European Economic Commission has mandated adoption of certain standards for the manufacture of cylinders for free trade within the European community. This, and the introduction of light-weight, high-working pressure cylinders, has resulted in many cylinders becoming obsolete.

"These cylinders are likely to find their way into African and Asian countries," cautioned Mr Anbunathan at a national seminar on industrial gases here. The seminar was organised by the All-India Industrial Gases Manufacturers Association (AIIGMA).

CNG cylinders and auto LPG containers should be destroyed after expiry of their service life. The responsibility of destroying them is with cylinder testing stations approved under the Gas Cylinder Rules, 2004.

"This is an area where utmost integrity and honesty shall be displayed by the gas industry as cylinders are to be condemned and destroyed against the wishes of the customers," Mr Anbunathan said.

He said the Government was in the process of evolving standards for using stainless steel and aluminium alloy cylinders. The standards are expected to be brought into force in about six months.

Giving a perspective of the industry that comes under the purview of his Department, Mr Anbunathan said over four-lakh tonnes of high explosives and 300 million detonators were produced annually in 51 manufacturing units and transported all across the country. In addition, there are more than 600 fireworks manufacturing factories, where about 1.5 lakh workers are employed.

Further, over 120-million tonnes of crude petroleum are processed annually by the 15 refineries in the country, and the products are moved all over the country, employing some 25,000 tankers. More than one lakh premises handle the inflammable petroleum products.

About two-million tonnes of LPG are consumed in the country and is being transported by road in pressure vessels. Furthermore, there are about 10,000 tankers transporting compressed gas such as LPG, ammonia, propane, nitrogen, oxygen and argon, and they are stored in 17,000-odd pressure vessels in the country.

"You can very well imagine the magnitude of the responsibility entrusted to the Department and this responsibility is being discharged by about 100 officers," Mr Anbunathan said.