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The Orissa High Court has ordered the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to create a strong publicity strategy for oil marketing businesses on LPG cylinder safety and insurance coverage in the event of an explosion.

One bench of Justice Dr. S.K.Panigrahi awarded Rs 2 lakh compensation to a man wounded in a cylinder burst on 27 September 2021, urging public awareness to prevent such tragedies.

LPG companies may compete to offer cylinders and accessories, but safety training and insurance coverage are seldom mentioned, the Court noted in a recent case.

Thousands of clients are unaware of LPG cylinder blast insurance coverage. The Ministry, as the guiding angel, should guarantee that insurance coverage information is appropriately communicated via mass media and printed on the reverse of client money receipts.

The Court’s order reiterated that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas should issue detailed advisories to public sector oil companies about public awareness about insurance for gas burn victims of LPG cylinder blasts and the importance of LPG cylinder safety training.

The human cost of an LPG cylinder explosion is enormous, yet this Court believes that oil/LPG businesses conduct like serious litigants even though the issue is not adversarial.

“One can imagine how the thick flames engulf the surroundings and humans turn to ashes or escape death with deformities”.

Staff training is crucial for health and safety, particularly while moving hazardous commodities like gas bottles and cylinders. In metropolitan and semi-urban locations, LPG dealer workers often carry four to five cylinders on a bicycle or two-wheeler moped, which seems risky for transportation and chemical leakage.

Staff handling gas cylinders seldom raise awareness of safety, nor do clients get frequent gas bottle safety talks/discussions, mock drills, safety clinics, or explosion reaction training.

Justice Dr. Panigrahi stated in the judgment that the training should focus on how to contain the inherent dangers of compressed gas cylinders at the end of LPG handling staff and customers, how to properly move, handle, and store cylinders, troubleshooting and emergency procedures in case of leaks and blasts.