There are 458 incidents related to gas accidents were reported within five days from 01.12.12 to 2021.12.05. the Committee to Investigate and Resolve Gas Cylinder Fires or Explosions says in a statement.
The report of the Presidential Committee chaired by Prof. Shantha Walpola was released to the media by the Presidential Media Unit yesterday.
Of the total 458 incidents, 244 were complaints regarding gas leaks, the committee report said.
The committee also identified the lack of a unique odor to identify gas leaks as a major problem.
In discussions with the relevant institutions and companies, the companies have agreed to include the required concentration of ethyl mercaptan in the forthcoming emissions.
The committee also urges the public to refrain from continuing to test for leaks in gas cylinders through various unsafe methods as consumers do not emit this odor in the event of a reported gas leak.
The committee also noted the use of substandard and expired regulators, gas supply pipes, hose clips and dilapidated furnaces.
The committee said it was conducting further scientific studies to determine if any changes in the composition of the gases emitted to the consumer had affected recent incidents.
It is reported that the committee has also recommended a new methodology to provide the consumer with the same quality gas as before.
Gas cylinders with a special seal that can be easily identified will be released to the market after a quality assessment by the Consumer Protection Authority, the Sri Lanka Standards Institution, the Institute of Industrial Technology and the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board.
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