Scheme to launch gas-run auto-rickshaws draws flak

Scheme to launch gas-run auto-rickshaws draws flak
Rajay Deep
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, March 3
To reduce pollution in the city, the state government is going to launch three-wheeled radio auto-rickshaws within the municipal limits of Bathinda. These auto-rickshaws would run on LPG/CNG. However, in the absence of any auto LPG-CNG station in the city, residents are skeptical that the scheme would meet success. They also believe that it would encourage illegal consumption of domestic LPG as fuel.
“I have read that the state transport authority is going to launch the scheme at the earliest. It only shows the lack of vision of the authorities concerned. Before launching such a scheme, auto LPG and CNG filling stations must be installed in the city,” said a local businessman, Sham Lal Mittal.
A retired bank employee, Bal Krishan, said, “We are already reeling under acute shortage of domestic LPG. The introduction of LPG auto rickshaws will turn the situation from bad to worse as the auto-rickshaw operators would start using domestic LPG for commercial purposes.”
It may be mentioned that there is one auto LPG station located at Bhucho village, which is nearly 10 km away from the city limits. The routine sale and experience of the owner of that pump show that due to non-existence of any check, majority of people make use of domestic cylinders to run their LPG-fuelled vehicles.
Municipal Commissioner, Bathinda, Uma Shankar assured to check the use of domestic LPG in vehicles. However, he added, “Without installing auto LPG and CNG station within the municipal limits, the success of the scheme would not come easy. After consulting the transport authorities, I will take up the matter with the Ministry of Petroleum to set up auto gas pumps in the city.”
District coordinator for the LPG supply Suresh Kumar said, “In absence of any check, usage of domestic LPG as fuel is going on unabated thereby creating shortage of LPG for domestic consumers. We had once chalked a proposal to install an auto gas pump in the city but finding the sales of the only gas station at Bhucho Mand not encouraging enough, we did not proceed further on the proposal.”
Secretary of Regional Transport Aauthority Bhupinder Singh said he would discuss the matter with the higher authorities.