Bring them to justice

Tuesday 14th December, 2021

Gas explosions continue. Yesterday, a young woman suffered serious injury in Kuruwita when she jumped off the upper floor of her house to escape from a fire caused by a gas blast, according to media reports. The incumbent government came to power, promising to protect the public against terrorist bomb blasts, but it has failed to ensure the safety of people even inside their own kitchens.

It was announced a few days ago that the domestic gas cylinders with red and white shrink bundling film on their valves were safe as they conformed to the safety standards stipulated by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA). But there have been reports of these cylinders also causing explosions. The people find themselves in a situation where they cannot trust either the gas companies, the CAA or the government.

It is said that a long time ago Sri Lankans prepared their last wills and testaments before going on pilgrimage to faraway places, for they were not sure whether they would be able to return home, given the dangers they had to face on the way. It looks as if the present-day Sri Lankans, especially women, also had to do so before going into their own kitchens thanks to the local gas companies.

The husband of a woman who recently died due to burn injuries caused by a gas explosion in Kundasale has announced his decision to take legal action against Litro Gas and the government for the tragic death of his spouse. He has said that nothing could compensate for the loss of his beloved wife, but he is resorting to legal action for the sake of the people whose lives are in danger due to unsafe cylinders of gas. He deserves praise, public assistance and, most of all, legal aid. This is what all those who have suffered injuries or property losses due to gas explosions should do.

Gas company officials and government politicians were aware of the danger they were exposing the public to, and they must be made to pay for their callous disregard for gas consumers’ safety.

Former IGP Pujith Jayasundera and ex-Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando are facing legal action for their failure to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks despite having received repeated warnings thereof. The gas company officials concerned and their political masters have done something far worse; they have done precious little to ensure public safety even after hundreds of gas explosions. Initially, they kept on trotting out lame excuses and blaming gas consumers and then undertook to adopt remedial action, but gas explosions are continuing. They have intentionally exposed the people to danger; they were aware that changes they introduced to the butane-propane ratio had made the gas mix in domestic cylinders highly volatile. All others who are paid with public funds to ensure the safety of gas consumers must be dealt with in a similar manner for their failure to carry out their duties and functions.

Now that it has been established that the cooking gas composition was arbitrarily changed and the safety of the valves of cylinders compromised in the process, the question is why those responsible for endangering the lives of the public have not been arrested and prosecuted. Two Litro Gas officials had the audacity to call a press conference and lie to the public after the first few gas explosions; they claimed that the gas composition had not been changed at all, and the explosions were due to substandard regulators, hoses and gas cookers. Criminal proceedings must be instituted against them without further delay.