AS citizens of Pakistan, bombs are a hard reality of our lives. Quite apart from terrorist bombings, though, there also exist other sorts of threats to our lives and safety, potential bombs that could explode at any moment. 

The biggest of these is perhaps the poor economic situation. When the going gets tough, people look for survival through any means possible; sometimes, they adopt methods that are nothing less than dangerous. Amongst these must be counted a threat that most of us are exposed to every day: compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) filling points. 

What led consumers to switch to CNG and LPG is easily understood. Petrol and diesel have become increasingly expensive and that, compounded by the spiralling inflation and rising food prices, have forced the owners of vehicles to resort to cheaper options. But many CNG and most LPG filling stations do not conform to basic safety standards. Given that they are often located in congested localities, any accident could be disastrous. 

Developed countries have had these fuels for at least five decades but Pakistan is new to their use on a mass scale. The developed world has learned to use CNG and LPG safely, and has developed stringent safety standards that all gas stations must meet. One such set of standards has been developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), US. NFPA 59 governs the safe usage and dispensing of CNG while NFPA 58 refers to LPG. The design and construction of storage tanks for the two fuels is controlled by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Department of Transportation. 

The codes and guidelines laid down in these safety standards can easily be accessed. What is of relevance to the purposes of this article are the requirements regarding distance between points of storage and dispensing of the fuels. NFPA 59 requires that all CNG stations have a minimum distance of 10 feet between the point at which the gas is compressed or stored, to the nearest point of exposure — the point at which it can be filled into a car or building. This ensures that all CNG stations are large enough to allow good ventilation, which reduces the chance of explosions in case of leaks. The NFPA also requires that all CNG stations have fire and other safety equipment. 

The standard for LPG, NFPA 58, is more stringent. It requires that the distance from the point of dispensing of the fuel to the point of bulk loading and location of the storage tanks be no less than 25 feet. There are few exceptions but in some cases, if other criteria are met, permission can be given for a 10-foot distance, the same as for CNG. In no case, however, can the horizontal distance be less than that from the point of compressing or filling into bulk storage tanks to the nearest point of exposure. 

Pakistan’s CNG consumers must be made aware of the risk. When visiting a CNG station, in many cases it is possible to see how far the gas compressing point is from the location of the pumps. Consumers should avoid visiting gas stations where this distance is less than 10 feet, or where the compressing point is adjacent to a building. 

The situation with LPG is far more dangerous because filling points (as opposed to stations), mostly used by rickshaws, have been established in virtually every corner of the urban areas. No efforts are made to ensure safety. The threat of fire or an explosion is considerable. It is nothing less than an accident waiting to happen. The sector requires sensible regulation. 

The fuel dispensation pumps as well as the vehicles use non-standard pumps, fittings, cylinders and associated equipment. This can only change if the establishment of non-standard LPG filling points is disallowed and only NFPA-compliant stations are given permission for operation. The problem cannot be addressed through the usual knee-jerk tactic of imposing bans. For example, many governments have tried to ban rickshaws but failed because this move does not address the core issue, and does not address the reason why rickshaws are a popular mode of transport and source of livelihood. In the case of LPG, the reason and core issue are simple to understand. Rickshaws use this fuel because petrol is too expensive. Similarly, CNG kits are too expensive and inappropriate for installation in a rickshaw. And in the absence of a network of standardised LPG filling stations, rickshaw owners and drivers have no choice but to use the ad hoc filling points that have no quality or safety standards. As I wrote at the beginning of this article, economics underpins the problem. 
The solution too is simple, but requires political will. The petroleum ministry needs to update its petroleum policy and allow the same concessions to LPG as have been allowed to CNG. In this way, the problem can be addressed at its root. At the moment, the discrepancy in concessions is so great that an LPG filling station is not a viable business. Once a level playing field is developed, the private sector will take an interest in establishing LPG filling stations. Pakistanis have the right to access fuels of their choice. Having a comparable policy for CNG and LPG will promote fair competition, transparency and safety. The writer is a chemical engineer specialising in environment and petroleum, and works in the petrochemical industry.

(By Amer Khaqan, Dawn-13, 29/09/2010)

The World Carfree Day that was marked around the globe on Wednesday went almost unnoticed in Pakistan as neither the federal nor the Sindh environmental protection agencies bothered to arrange any symbolic activity in order to make people aware of the dangers of carbon emission and its repercussions on climate.

Ironically, none of federal or provincial environmental agencies’ officials created any example by adopting a symbolic practice of avoiding car usage or adopting alternatives like going to workplaces on foot, using a bicycle or even going for car-pooling.

In the country’s biggest city of Karachi, which has the largest number of cars and other fossil fuel-powered vehicles on roads, the top officials including the environment minister, secretary environment, director general of Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and other senior officials used cars to reach their workplaces and for doing other official businesses. Even the role of authorities working for the promotion of alternate and renewable energy sources, including Sindh Environment and Alternate Energy Department and federally-controlled Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB), was not commendable at a time when many countries have been striving to introduce environment-friendly vehicles.

But the most apathetic role was played by the Federal Environment Ministry led by Hamidullah Jan Afridi, who often appears in the media as chief guest of ceremonial and symbolic activities, but perhaps he too was unaware if any such day was being observed around the world. Federal Environment Ministry and Federal Environment Protection Agency (EPA) are believed to be most up to date and active government agencies having close eye on the activities concerning the environment but, unfortunately, they too did nothing to mark the day. No guidelines or directives were issued to EPAs in all four provinces regarding the World Carfree Day nor the provincial EPAs did anything on their own to mark the day when in most of the world capitals and larger cities roads were unofficially closed for cars to mark the day.

Environmentalists were of the opinion that at least the authorities of environmental protection agencies should have done something “unusual” like using bicycle or walking or even going for carpooling to highlight the importance of environment conservation. They deplored that no efforts were being made by the Alternate Energy Board to come up with a solution of environment-friendly transportation although successful experiments were being carried out in many developed and under-developed countries to develop electric cars. Use of alternate and environment-friendly fuels, including bio-diesel, could also be promoted in the country to cut carbon emissions, they said but deplored that no such long or short term plan was visible to overcome petroleum dependency in the country.

Many environmentalists who spoke to The News on this issue were also of the opinion that carpooling was an excellent idea that could have resulted in minimizing traffic congestion on city roads, besides making a significant cut in carbon emissions and extending other benefits to city dwellers. And at the same time, it was also the responsibility of the authorities concerned to provide mass transit facilities to citizens in order to minimize dependency on fossil fuel, they added. hey were of the view that projects like Karachi Circular Railway, Karachi Mass Transit Bus Project, replacement of old and faulty minibuses with CNG busses, and removal of air and noise producing rickshaws and bikes were some other important steps that could result in lowering carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

They reiterated that the events and days like Carfree Day could result in very little change in overall environment protection but they could leave far-reaching impacts by making people learn that how their modern day life and activities were endangering the world and future of their coming generations. Some environmentalists and officials associated with the environmental protection agencies observed that by creating awareness among common people about the hazards of fossil-fuel usage, pressure could be developed on government officials not to use their official cars at least for one day. If an example of avoiding using cars was set by the authorities and they were properly given coverage by the media, it would create a lot of difference as well as an urge among the common people to follow their leaders and also play their individual role in keeping the heat off the planet earth, they maintained.

(By M. Waqar Bhatti, The News-13, 23/09/2010) 

A lukewarm response from the leading public sector banks and from some other commercial banks is delaying the arrival of the first fleet of around 500 CNG buses, The News has learnt. These buses, which are part of the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto CNG Bus Project, were supposed to have arrived in Karachi in 2009. However, no one knew exactly when the documents of the qualified operators would be scrutinized and loan facility provided to them and when would the first fleet of the buses arrived in the city. The finance and environment ministries transferred Rs300 million to the State Bank on December 31 to provide the upfront grant at the rate of Rs300,000 per bus as well as an interest subsidy of Rs377,181 per bus to be paid during the five year period.

According to the sources, this amount was sufficient for procuring more than 400 CNG buses. The sources informed this correspondent that several meetings in this regard had already been held on different occasions. They said that during a meeting on May 17 at the Chief Minister’s House, which was presided by the Secretary-General to the President, Salman Farooqi, it was decided that the National Bank of Pakistan would arrange the loan facility for the notified operators.

During another meeting on May 19 at the NBP head office attended by some officials of the SBP and representatives of the six commercial banks, it was decided to form a syndicate of these banks. It was also agreed that the NBP would play the leading role and other banks would follow it in this context. Another meeting was held at the DCO camp office in which it was decided that the suppliers would provide performance guarantee equivalent to 10 percent of the bus cost, and that the operators would open their accounts at the NBP. It was also decided that the banks would also provide a guarantee against the projected fare revenue on quarterly basis and that the operators would provide the revenue collection mechanism. In the same meeting it was also agreed that the operators would provide a list of the CNG filling stations along with their respective routes. According to the sources, it was also decided that the operators would submit 20 per cent equity minus the upfront grant at the rate of Rs300,000 per bus and the SBP would subsequently submit the upfront grant to the banks and that the buses would be acquired by the operators according to the guideline set by the federal government and the City District Government Karachi (CDGK). There are 14 notified suppliers and manufacturers of CNG buses with their respective bus models.

During another meeting on August 10, the FTC branch of the NBP was designated as the focal branch in this regard. It was also decided that the performance guarantee agreement would be signed between the operators and the bus suppliers which would be vetted by the NBP.

The sources revealed that the documents of only one operator, Farzan, had been cleared by the FTC branch and forwarded to the corporate branch of the NBP. It was also learnt that the minutes of the meeting for taking subsequent action have not yet been issued by the NBP.

According to the sources, the seven operators were the Swede Bus Company, the Vendec Bus Company, Rehman Coach, the Rehman Baba Company, the Farzan Company, the Buraq Transporters Company and the Midway Consortium. The federal government had approved a subsidy of Rs2.5 billion for Karachi alone to bring 4,000 CNG buses in five years. These buses would be exempted from the 15 percent import duty.

According to the project modalities, investors may apply for a minimum fleet of 25 buses. The federal government will contribute Rs677,181 as a subsidy over five years towards the cost of a single bus.

(The News-13, 08/09/2010)

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) which is in a near-bankruptcy state is losing Rs1.1 million per day (Rs401 million annually) as the federal government-sponsored Rs2.2 billion Water Losses Reduction & System Strengthening (WLR&SS) project has reportedly gone down the drain. 

The federal government keeping in view the huge losses being suffered by the water utility owing to innumerable leakages in its bulk water supply and distribution system had given Rs2.2 billion. The purpose was to save 20 million gallons per day being acquired through the K-III project and measuring the flows and rationalising pressures within the system. However, the gigantic WLR&SS project undertaken since 2007 could hardly save between eight to 10 per cent of the water going wasted every day mainly due to the leakages. And if the minimum rate of Rs110 per 1000 gallons is applied, the total cost of 10mgd of water still being wasted through leakages even after undertaking WLR&SS project at a hefty amount of RS2.2b comes to Rs401m, each year. 

According to well-placed sources in the KWSB, the officials who were assigned the task of carrying out the WLR&SS project mainly concentrated on plugging the leakages in the bulk water supply network while the numerous leakages in the water distribution system were ignored although it was also within the scope of the plugging work supposed to be carried out under the WLR&SS project. 

“Had the Rs2.2 billion project, which was aimed at saving 20mgd by plugging leakages in both the systems, been properly executed, the water utility would have been able to save Rs1.1m per day,” they claimed. 

Although KWSB senior officials claim that total water losses owing to leakages in both the systems, besides evaporation and water theft, in addition to technical and physical losses, were not more than 35 per cent, independent sources assert that the total water losses comes to around 45 per cent of the total quantum. Quoting JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) report prepared by its study team for chalking out a master plan for development of the water supply and sewerage system for the city up to the targeted year of 2025, the sources argued that the city’s present water supply system had a capacity of 540mgd but the ratio of technical water losses (unaccounted-for-water such as physical losses, meter inaccuracy and unauthorised consumption in the transmission and distribution system from filtration plants to customers) have been estimated to be at 35 per cent of the water supply capacity, besides non-technical losses (unbilled authorised consumption) in the system including raw water losses, have been estimated at 10 per cent and thus the non-revenue water has been estimated at 45 per cent of the water supply capacity. 

Giving details of the revenue losses being incurred on account of non-revenue water, sources in the utility said that there were over 200 kilometres of trunk water mains varying in diameter from 18 to 72 inches made up of the most widely used material — pre-stressed reinforced cement concrete (PRCC) pipes. In 1996, it was assessed that 40 per cent of the overall water losses occurred in the trunk main system. Regarding leakages in the distribution system, the sources said that water distribution system comprised about 5,450 kilometres of pipelines of which about 70 per cent was asbestos cement pipes and 23 per cent metal pipes. 

Much of the system is old and in very poor condition, according to the sources, who say that the KWSB regulates supplies to sub-zones by opening and closing feeder valves from the trunk mains and also regulates the hours of operation of distribution pumping stations. 

All the ‘retail’ (un-metered) consumers are subjected to inthttp://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/local/rs2.2bn-project-fails-to-help-kwsb-contain-huge-losses-890ermittent water supply, they added.

(By Azizullah Sharif, Dawn-13, 08/09/2010)