RAWALPINDI  -   The Civil Defence Rawalpindi on the directives of Punjab government, was making efforts to stop illegal business petrol and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and special operations were launched against the rules violators in Rawalpindi district, said Chief Officer Civil Defence Talib Hussain here Sunday. Talking to APP he said, the department has issued challans to over 452 illegal agencies while 32 FIRs were also lodged in respective police stations this year.  Talib Hussain said, total 600 raids were conducted in different areas of the district and action in accordance with the law was taken against 452 rules violators.

A large number of illegal petrol and LPG agencies were sealed while cases were also registered against their owners on the special instruction of District Coordination Officer (DCO) Rawalpindi.

As many as 500 illegal petrol agencies had also been issued final notices under which the owners were directed to stop the illegal business immediately otherwise strict action in accordance with the law would be taken.

Talib Hussain informed that the Punjab government has issued directives to Civil Defence Department to launch action against the illegal business of decanting of LPG in the district.

He said that the department took this step under Petroleum Act 1934 Rule No. 1971 and LPG Protection and Distribution Act 2001. He said the operation would continue and the shops of the violators would be sealed while FIRs would also be lodged.

He said that illegal petroleum agencies/depots/mini petrol pumps and illegal LPG decanting shops were causing loss to national exchequer and at the same time endangering for human life & properties, so the operation was launched in public interest.

The Civil Defence initiated action against mushroom growth of illegal petroleum agencies/depots/ mini petrol pumps and illegal LPG decanting shops and the department was ensuring stoppage of this illegal business. Civil Defence Department Rawalpindi also launched an operation to check fire extinguishers at petrol pumps and CNG stations while over 450 petrol pumps operating without fire extinguishers were challaned and fines amounting to Rs 1.2 million were imposed on the rules violators.

The Civil Defence teams were conducting raids at Petrol Pumps and CNG stations to check fire safety arrangements.

He said the teams inspected safety measures while challan slips were issued for lacking firefighting equipment. The District Officer informed, crackdown against the petrol pumps, CNG stations, factories, buildings and other places operating without modern fire extinguishers had been started.

He said, despite notices, certain factories, petrol pumps/ CNG stations, hotels and marriage halls lack fire-fighting arrangements. Action in accordance with the law was being taken against the rules violators, he added.

The Commercial Plazas and buildings situated in Rawalpindi Division would also be challaned in this regard, he informed. He said, the CNG stations, petrol pumps, hotels and marriage halls owners were warned of strict action if the instructions of the department were not followed.