Islamabad : Sindh government has decided to initiate a crackdown on on illegal gas cylinder shops across the province, according to ARY News.
The strict action is taken up by the provincial government following a massive cylinder explosion in Hyderabad that claimed the lives of 27 people.
In an immediate order to take action, the Sindh Home Department issued a directive to all district administrations, ordering against shopkeepers operating gas cylinders illegally.
The department also emphasised that gas cylinder shops must not be located in crowded or residential areas and should instead be moved to less populated zones, according to ARY News.
The Home Department, in a letter to deputy commissioners, ordered that the illegal LNG and LPG shops be moved outside city limits and instructed the confiscation of substandard cylinders, as the gas explosion cases remain on surge.
The government also mandated that these shops follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the federal authorities to ensure public safety, according to ARY News.
It remains to be seen how much gas Sindh gets from its gas deposits in Sindh and how much is given or distributed to other provinces.
Sindh is already grappling with several issues. If gas is made unavailable in Sindh, it adds to the woes of people in Sindh, especially during winter, just as power cuts become a big outcry during summer.
However, if it remains available, the gas distribution is also carried out by illegal channels, which has, in present times, given rise to cases of cylinder explosions.