• The Court of Appeal further issued an interim order preventing the  authorities from releasing gas cylinders for domestic use without  specific standards prescribed by SLSI
• The Court of Appeal had also ordered the two gas companies not to release gas cylinders without displaying the gas composition

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

Filing a motion before the Court of Appeal, public interest litigation activist Nagananda Kodituwakku yesterday alleged that respondent parties including the Consumer Affairs Authority and gas companies have failed to implement the court order to recall all unused cylinders that do not conform to the standards of Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI).  

 On December 17, the Court of Appeal further issued an interim order preventing the authorities from releasing gas cylinders for domestic use without specific standards prescribed by SLSI. 

 
Kodituwakku alleged that there are fire incident reports on a daily basis following gas explosions and told court that the authorities have failed to comply with the court order.  

However, CAA, Litro Gas and Laughs Gas Companies denied the allegation and told that necessary steps have been taken to implement the court order.   

Senior State Counsel Manohara Jayasinghe appearing for the CAA tendered an affidavit to the effect that CAA has complied with the Court order dated 17th of December.  

The Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justice Ruwan Fernando and Justice Sampath Wijeratne fixed the petition to be heard again on January 26. The Court of Appeal had also ordered the two gas companies not to release gas cylinders without displaying the gas composition as prescribed by SLSI. The Court had further directed the two companies to display the composition of Butane and Propane in the gas cylinders as prescribed by SLSI.  
General Secretary of Vinivida Peramuna Nagananda Kodituwakku filed this writ petition seeking an order directing the IGP to initiate criminal investigations against Minister Bandula Gunawardene, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, the Consumer Affairs Authority Chairman and Director General of the Sri Lanka Standard Institution for allegedly releasing unsafe gas cylinders to the market.  

The petitioner is further seeking an order directing the authorities to formulate healthy and safety standards for LP gas cylinders.  

The Petitioner states that due to sheer negligence on the part of the Consumer Affairs Authority Chairman D.M.S. Dissanayaka and Director General of Sri Lanka Standard Institution Siddhika Senarathne some consumers who use the LP gas cylinders have suffered physical injury and damage to their private properties due to the explosions caused by leakage of gas from the unsafe gas cylinders which were only meant to withstand the pressure generated by the composition of Butane 80% and Propane 20%. 

 
The Petitioner states that these explosions occur on a daily basis with no corrective measures taken by the Respondents to arrest the situation.  

Nagananda Kodituwakku appeared himself for the petitioner.  
President’s Counsel Harsha Amarasekara appeared for Litro Gas Company.   
Senior State Counsel Manohara Jayasinghe appeared for the Consumer Affairs Authority.