Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs stated in Parliament today (29) that 233 incidents of Litro and Laugfs gas cylinder explosions have been reported during the period of 82 months from January 1, 2015 to October 31, 2021.
However, the Minister pointed out that it was problematic for such incidents to be reported on a number of occasions in a short period of time and added that the Consumer Affairs Authority would take necessary steps to find out the cause.
He stressed that there was nothing to hide about the gas cylinder explosion. The Minister was responding to a question raised by the Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa under standing order 27/2.
The Minister pointed out that the Sri Lanka Standards Institution had mentioned the quality of a gas cylinder on the surface and that the quality of a gas cylinder available in the market could only be measured by inspecting it. Accordingly, the Standards Institution has taken steps to prepare new standards, the State Minister said.
Samples were submitted to the University of Moratuwa last Friday for testing. Accordingly, a report on the action to be taken on these gas cylinders could be submitted within this week, the Minister said. The Minister said that President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had also instructed to appoint a special committee to investigate into the matter.