| Pertamina withdraws 3,500 damaged canisters in Jember |
 |
 |
 |
| Saturday, 24 July 2010 15:18 | |||
|
Jember, E Java - State-owned oil
and gas firm Pertamina has withdrawn at least 3,500 damaged gas
cylinders from circulation in Jember district, East Java, a company
official said. Danny Tri W of Pertamina`s Jember office made the statement at a hearing with the Regional Legislative Assembly (DPRD) and the Jember Trade and Industry Office here on Wednesday. Danny said Pertamina had distributed 770,112 gas-stove-cum- canister packages to the people in Jember but part of them were damaged and therefore had been withdrawn. He said Pertamina through its gas refilling stations always carried out physical checks on tubes that would be distributed to official dealers. "We always recheck the conditions of cylinders at least once in five years," he said. Pertamina spokesman for Region V East Java, Eviyanti Rofraida, said on Tuesday Pertamina asked the people not to question gas canisters that did not carry the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) label. "The thing people should pay attention to is whether or not the liquefied natural gas canisters circulating in the market are leaking," she made the remarks through the phone to ANTARA News in connection with the finding by consumers of gas canisters which did not carry the SNI labels. Eviyanto said people need to understand that because the government had been distributing gas cylinders since 2007 while the requirement to attach the SNI labels was issued only in 2008. The government introduced its kerosene-to-LPG conversion policy in mid 2007 as part of its efforts to reduce kerosene subsidy in the state budget, and provided the poor with 3 kg-gas canisters plus stoves for free. The number of 3-kg cylinders distributed so far had reached about 60 million units from the 45 million packages which were distributed since 2007. Substandard products have caused fatalities among the public. The government noted that in 2007, there were five cases of gas canister explosions with injured victims. In 2008 there were 27 cases with two dead and 35 injured while in 2009 there were 30 blasts killing 12 victims and injuring 48 others. Up to June 2010, a total of 33 blasts with 8 dead and 44 injured have been recorded.
|
Legitimacy & Law
About Us
Trusted Partner
