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ECONOMYNEXT – Eskaline Vijitha Fernando (43) has been eagerly awaiting Christmas this year. Her second child, two-year-old Wonvril Donella, is to celebrate her first Christmas this Saturday (25) after the Easter Sunday attack in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic forced her family to forego celebrations.

Vijitha’s 15-year old son Wayne Donovan Fernando, who needs special care, has also been eagerly waiting for this year’s festivities.

But the mother of two, who lives at her father-in-law’s just 250 meters from St Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade that was a target of Islamist militants in April 2019, is forced to let this Christmas go as well due to the rising cost of living.

Her four walls painted a cheerful orange do not reflect the mood within.

“The last time we properly celebrated Christmas was in 2018. In 2019 we had the bombs, in 2020 there was COVID-19, and this year we can’t even imagine festivities,” Vijitha told EconomyNext.

Skyrocketing prices of food and other goods have adversely impacted Fernando and thousands of other Catholics and Christians – and indeed Sri Lankans of various faiths – who are looking to celebrate the birth of Christ this year.

‘’We haven’t made anything for this Christmas. We have family who are struggling and when we think about them, we don’t feel like celebrating,” said Fernando.

“It’ll easily come to 10,000 rupees for Christmas cake and sweets, and we don’t want to spend money like that. We try to save it for something else. We didn’t even go shopping for the little ones.”

Sri Lanka has seen the worst ever price escalations in essential goods amid shortages in key commodities in the market.

Prices of vegetable have more than doubled in the last two months, while the price of rice has surged over 50 percent in the last six months. Fish and chicken prices have increased over 80 and 60 percent respectively, while milk has gone up by over 30 percent. Meanwhile, cooking gas prices have also shot up by a staggering 80 percent in the midst of an explosive scandal over an alleged change to the gas composition.

The government this week raised fuel prices this week by over 12 percent.

Vijitha has opted not have the usual family gathering for Christmas this year and also forego a planned visit to an elders’ home and an orphanage to distribute Christmas cake. Times are so hard, she said, she is also uncertain about decorating the house or exchanging gifts with her own family members.

Sri Lanka’s rocketing prices are due to money printing and flawed monetary regime, where large volumes of money has been printed, with inflationary policy being followed from around August 2019 and racheted up to full blown ‘modern monetary theory’ from around February 2020.

Broken Mandate

The central bank has failed to produce low inflating money, according to its legal mandate of keeping “economic and price stability”.

Related

Sri Lanka has a corrupted inflation targeting, output gap targeting not in line with monetary law: Wijewardena

Excess money printing, higher import price of commodities, and supply shortages due to heavy rains in cultivation areas and lack of agro-chemical all contributed to the ongoing high prices, analysts say.

The island nation‘s inflation based on the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) hit a record high and touched double digits for the first time in November even before the fuel prices were kept down, suppressing the index.

In the year to October 2021 alone, Sri Lanka’s reserve money supply has grown 38 percent to 1,286 billion rupees, with hardly any increase in output of goods and services (economic growth) as money was printed in a state intervention called ‘stimulus’ to keep interest rates down.

In the two years to October 2021 reserve money supply went up 41 percent from 908 billion rupees. Broad money went up 41 percent to 6,743 billion rupees.

In the nine months to October 2021, real gross domestic product (output of goods and services) was estimated at 7,062 trillion rupees, lower than the 7,152.1 billion rupees in the first nine months of 2019, two years ago when money in circulation was sharply lower.

Since inflationary policy began around August 2019 food prices are up over 35 percent up to November, data shows. (Sri Lanka national inflation hits 11.1-pct in November 2021 after money printing)

Most money is printed to pay salaries of state workers, who buy goods and services before others.

Domestic production of agricultural goods have also been disrupted due to a state intervention in the supply of fertilizer (now reversed) and agriculture chemicals on top of money printing.

But due to import controls, another state intervention mde as money printing created foreign exchange shortages, foreign goods cannot supply the lost production, tightening supplies.

Prices of controlled items like rice is in Sri Lanka is higher than world prices. The government has said it will import some rice from Burma at a lower price.

Items like milk powder, which are not controlled, are not available even at higher world prices. Global commodities have also gone up due to money printing by the US Federal Reserve.

Some importers are also pricing goods higher with parts of the import bill being settle at rates higher than the official rate, due to shortages in the formal system.

“There’s no food even if you have the money. No milk, no gas; how do you celebrate a festival?” Vijitha’s father-in-law  Enaliyans Fernando told EconomyNext.

Reduced purchasing power

Vijitha’s husband Martys Littone Fernando who is working as an assistant manager in a tourism firm is fortunate to have retained the same monthly salary in a pandemic-hit hospitality industry. However, with the price hikes, his purchasing power has reduced sharply as a result of skyrocketing commodity prices.

Increasing commodity price have prevailed globally due to increased freight and transport charges during the pandemic, but Sri Lanka is suffering due to its own past sins.

“The prices went up so suddenly. How are we expected to manage? But we have to eat something. The foods we usually cook twice a week we now only make once a week,” said Vijitha.

“Bread prices have gone up. Kerosene has gone up. When you eat, you have to eat happily. It’s not possible to eat happily when everything is going up in price like this. What about the many who are poorer than we are? How are they managing on so little?”

“Bomb in the house” 

Adding to Vijitha’s woes, fires and explosions related to Liquid Petroleum (LP) Gas has also made her reconsider her Christmas plans.

Over 800 fires and explosions have been reported since October, killing at least one, while no authority has taken responsibility.

Despite a presidential probe, gas cylinder related explosions still continue and authorities have yet to come up with a suitable solution.

The latest situation is described by some government critics on social media as “bombs going off inside the house.”

“This is a very dangerous situation. We have no idea when the cylinder might blow up,” said Vijitha’s husband.

“For a while it looked like we would have a shortage of rice, but that turned out to be okay, but  now the problem is with milk and gas,” he added, commenting on the ongoing shortages.

“On the rare occasion that gas is available, we’re too afraid to buy it in case it explodes. We’re afraid of kerosene stoves too. It’s not like kerosene is easily available anyway.”

Authorities have requested customers to keep their gas cylinders outside their houses to ensure any leakages do not result in explosions.

However, Fernando says it is impossible to adhere to the government’s request because they do not have the luxury of open space around the kitchen due to congestion in Kochchikade.

“Most people can’t keep the stoves or cylinders outside. We have to do everything inside. Nor can we have a kerosene stove on when children are around.”

The presidential committee that probed the gas explosions said a change in the composition of LP gas was the main reason for the explosions, directly contradicting claims by other government officials that it was substandard stoves, regulators, hoses and other accessories.

Related: Sri Lanka presidential probe on gas explosions contradicts previous official claims

The delay in a conclusive assessment of the main reason for the explosions has resulted in a delay in gas cylinder supply to the market, depriving customers the convenience of cooking gas and forcing thousands to resort to kerosene cookers or firewood stoves.

Strict health guidelines due to fear of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 spreading in the country have also restricted Christians’ usual shopping sprees this year.

The many woes and difficulties faced by Sri Lankans in what should’ve been a time of joy were reflected in the government’s Christmas message this year, which was somewhat lacking in merriness.

“We hope that our Christian brethren can celebrate Christmas in a spiritual manner this year,” Government Spokesman Dallas Alahapperuma told weekly cabinet media brief on Tuesday. (Colombo/Dec23/2021)

ECONOMYNEXT – In a swift and blatant contradiction of a claim by key government officials that substandard accessories had caused some 800 cooking gas explosions in Sri Lanka since October, a presidential committee which probed the matter said on Tuesday (21) that a controversial composition change in the gas cylinder was, in fact, largely to blame.

Prof Shantha Walpolage, the head of the committee appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, told reporters that the hotly debated composition change was the main reason for the recent series of explosions which had become a major safety hazard to the public.

“The cylinders, regulators, stoves, and other equipment have remained unchanged. What was subjected to change was the gas composition,” Walpolage said, a day after his committee presented the fact finding report to President Rajapaksa.

More than 800 gas cylinder related explosions have occurred since October 28.  A 53-year-old woman was killed in an explosion that occurred in central Sri Lanka earlier this month, and no one has yet to officially take responsibility for the tragedy.

Related: Sri Lanka’s mysterious gas explosions become nobody’s baby

Walpolage said the conclusion was arrived at through a scientific data collection method, with information gathered from all stakeholders including both gas companies, the state-owned Litro Gas Lanka Ltd and Laugfs Gas (Pvt) Ltd, that make up Sri Lanka’s liquid petroleum (LP) gas duopoly. Data was also collected from testing labs and select locations where explosions had occurred.

As a short term solution, the expert proposed that the propane content in the gas cylinder be reduced to 30 percent while adding more ethyl mercaptan, a pungent-smelling chemical compound used as an additive for consumers to detect any leaks, to the mix.

Former Consumer Affairs Authority Executive director Thushan Gunawardena told media as early as April, well before the recent spate of explosions, that Litro had changed the composition of the gas inside the cylinders and increased the propane content to above 30 percent, while reducing butane.

The Court of Appeal earlier this month ordered that both Litro and Laugfs maintain a mix of 70 percent butane and 30 percent propane in the LP gas cylinders they sell, following the revelation.

Experts have hypothesised that increasing the propane content of the cylinder to 50 percent had resulted in high pressure which had led to leaks from the cylinder. However, this has yet to be proven scientifically.

Contradictory view at PMC briefing

The presidential committee’s finding, however, is completely contradictory to what some senior officials had said barely a day earlier at the Presidential Media Center (PMC), just before the Walpolage-led committee handed over its report to President Rajapaksa on Monday (20).

Jayantha de Silva, Secretary of the Ministry of Technology which is under the purview of President Rajapaksa, and Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) Deshabandu Tennakoon who spoke at the event claimed that used regulators and stoves could have been the reason for the explosions.

“The investigations carried out in many parts of the country have revealed that the equipment used for gas stoves, including the regulator, are substandard,” de Silva told a virtual media briefing organised by PMC and moderated by President’s Spokesman Kingsly Rathnayaka.

“A lasting solution will be provided to the issue by enabling the people to purchase equipment that meet the required standards within the next three months,” de Silva said.

The ministry secretary said the responsibility of ensuring that the accessories meet the stipulated standards will also be vested with the two gas companies in the future.

Litro chairman denies composition theory

Litro Gas Lank Ltd Chairman Theshara Jayasinghe was on the same panel at the PMC’s media briefing where he ruled out the composition hypothesis, claiming that the reported change had nothing to do with the explosions.

Jayasinghe said that there is no change in the composition of Litro cylinders and  foreign expertise is being sought in this regard. The public need not have any undue fear when using LP gas, he added.

“Though some have suggested that the cause of the gas leaks and explosions was a change in the composition of the gas, it has now been confirmed that none of the incidents reported so far have been caused by a change in composition,” he said.

The company has agreed to provide an insurance cover of one million rupees per person if such an incident occurs due to the standard of the gas, he said.

“Recommendations with Sri Lanka Standards (SLS) certification for LP gas have now been issued, and the gas composition is a mixture of 70% butane and 30% propane.”

Senior DIG Tennakoon said at the same media briefing that the Government Analysts’s department has conducted comprehensive investigations into the incidents.

“It has been reported that the majority of incidents have occurred due to substandard gas stove accessories and the improper use of such equipment,” Tennakoon said.

He said more than 15,000 cases of gas stove and regulator-related repairs were recorded throughout the country in 2019 as well as 2020, according to a police survey.

There is no cause for taking legal action as it has not been scientifically proven that these were conducted with a criminal intent, said Tennakoon.

At the event, the public was also asked to purchase higher quality gas stoves and equipment that meet the standards and from reputed companies. (Colombo/Dec22/2021)

ECONOMYNEXT – A distressing sight in the village of Waligamuwa in Sri Lanka’s central district of Matale last weekend brought home a sombre truth: that lofty ideals such as accountability are perhaps destined to remain abstract concepts and not much more.

Villagers had gathered to mourn 53-year-old Ashoka Priyangani, a mother of four who’d succumbed to burn injuries from a cooking gas-related explosion in her own kitchen. Her family, friends and neighbours were seen congregated round the coffin, angrily protesting and demanding justice from wherever it might come.

The unsuspecting Priyangani had been trying to cook as usual when an explosion caused her severe burn injuries that would soon prove fatal. Her family had rushed her to Kandy hospital, where she died leaving behind a family of five.

Priyangani’s grieving widower now has but one goal: to take both the government and the gas company to court.

The liquid petroleum (LP) gas explosion that ended Priyangani’s life was no isolated incident. A wave of such explosions, fires and related incidents in the last 48 days has shaken Sri Lankans, a vast majority of whom are already battling worsening crises across multiple fronts.

According to police, nearly 730 incidents have been recorded from November 01 to December 15. Of these, 24 explosions were due to gas leaks directly from the cylinder while the rest were, according to authorities, due to subpar cookers or accessories such as regulators and hoses.

A majority of the incidents were linked to LP gas sold by the state run Litro Gas Lanka Ltd.  Litro maintains a duopoly on cooking gas supply in Sri Lanka with Laugfs Gas (Pvt) Ltd.

“Can’t the government or the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) advise the public to stop using gas until they clear this mess up?” news footage showed a relative of Priyangani’s as saying.

Over six weeks after the first explosion, Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal on Friday (17) ordered the gas companies to recall LP gas cylinders in the market and replace them free of charge with cylinders approved by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute.

The court also ordered that both Litro and Laugfs maintain a mix of 70 percent butane and 30 percent propane in the LP gas cylinders they sell, following unverified speculation that a change in composition was the reason for the explosions.

Experts have hypothesised that increasing the propane content of the cylinder to 50 percent had resulted in high pressure which had led to leaks from the cylinder. However, this has yet to be proven scientifically.

Related: Sri Lanka Court of Appeal orders LP gas companies to recall cylinders: report

The court orders notwithstanding, no one has yet taken responsibility for the series of reported incidents let alone the death. Authorities have also yet to determine the exact cause of the explosions, and, despite the existential threat posed to millions of Sri Lankans, critics claim, no concrete steps appear to have been taken.

Deepening mystery

Glass-topped gas cookers exploding appears to be a fairly common phenomenon in India, Pakistan and some East Asian countries. One theory put forward by some experts is that this is due to the ignition/pilot light firing up – under the glass – as the knob does not come out after fire is reduced or shut down. It is pushed in.

The knob sometimes doesn’t come out due to dirt in the mechanism, but why this is suddenly the case appears to be a mystery. It may be because there was an earlier bad gas stock with oil residues which was brought due to CAA price controls and it clogged up the works, analysts have hypothesised.

If the alleged change in composition change is indeed to blame, analysts say, it is definitely a fallout of the price controls.

Economic interventions leading to wrong incentives for agents has led to unintended consequences as is typical, critics have argued.  However, the gas companies have operated for decades without much trouble, so why now appears to be the biggest question.

Total inaction

Public confusion over the bizarre explosions is rising and frustration over the apparent lack of accountability appears to be setting in the face of alleged government inaction.

A group of ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members were seen praying at the Seenigama Dewalaya earlier this week, seeking divine retribution on the gas companies who had “endangered the lives of consumers”. Short of this, no concrete action appears to have been taken, critics say.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has also largely remained mum about the explosions though parliament has seen heated arguments over the matter, even as explosions continue in various parts of the country.

“Nobody tells with any clarity about what is really wrong with gas,” SLPP MP Anura Priyadharshana Yapa told the media this week when he was asked to comment. Yapa is now critical of the government.

“If it is in another country, the board of directors (of the gas company) would have been dragged by their ears and arrested. Now they pretend as if they don’t know anything. This will lead the country to anarchy,” he said.

Friday’s Court of Appeal decision saw the gas companies ordered to revert to the earlier 30-percent propane composition and also have the Sri Lanka Standards Institute oversee the quality of gas being distributed in the country.

Critics, however, claim that the damage has already been done.

Already the two gas suppliers have ceased distribution in the market. Many consumers have now switched to kerosene. The demand for kerosene has risen by 100 metric tons in the past two months, the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) said.

The LP gas shortage has already hit Sri Lanka’s hotels, restaurants and canteens hard.

Asela Sampath, the chief of the All Island Canteen Owners’ Association (AICOA,) said on Friday that more than 80 percent of canteens and hotels will be closed from Saturday (18) onward as a result.

Meanwhile, an LP gas shipment from Bangladesh had been docked in the Colombo port owing to a quality issue. The government later directed Litro not to buy the consignment as it does not meet the standards. However, on Friday, the Secretary to the Ministry of Technology reportedly granted permission o unload gas after he tested a sample aboard the ship.

Allegations and counter allegations

“We cannot ascribe a monetary value to a life that was lost. We have asked these companies to do justice by them. We will also take part in that,” Consumer Affairs State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna told the media this week.

“We are doing our best to solve this matter as quickly as possible.”

Litro, for its part, rejects the government’s allegations. The state-run gas company maintains that it had nothing to do with the recent spate of explosions.

“It’s too early to comment on who will take responsibility for the death as investigations show a completely different result as opposed to a gas explosion. So further investigations are going on,” a Litro official told EconomyNext requesting anonymity as they were not authorized to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, police confirmed that Priyangani’s death was due to a gas explosion, but noted that investigations are still under way to determine the exact cause of the incident.

“According to hospital reports, the patient had died due to severe burns from the incident. The gas pipe and other [accessories] have been sent to the government analyst for a report,” police said in a statement.

Police also said it was suspected that the end of hose connecting the cylinder to the stove had become loose and a leak had occurred while the stove was already lit. The fire must have gone through the pipe because the gas supply had not been cut off from the regulator, police said.

According to writer and analyst Vinu Wijesekara, Sri Lanka consumes over 440,000 metric tons of LP gas annually. Approximately 42% of the population exclusively uses gas cylinders for domestic purposes while 43% use firewood alongside LP gas and 13-15% of the population exclusively uses firewood, Wijesekara wrote to the privately owned Daily FT in 2018.

Litro controls 80 percent of the market while only other competitor Laughfs controls the rest.

The government has contemplated plans for the CPC to open another state-owned LP gas company, but the plan has been put on hold due to financial constraints of the country, which is facing an increasing risk of sovereign debt defaults.

Legal perspective

“This unfortunate death could have been prevented if the authorities had taken necessary and timely action to monitor the quality of gas cylinders & ensure the safety of consumers,” Human Rights lawyer Bhavani Fonseka told EconomyNext.

“Questions must be asked as to why authorities failed to take action that could have prevented the explosions.”

Fonseka, a government critic, also said relevant officials must be held to account and the affected parties should consider making a police complaint so that an investigation takes place that is the first step pertaining to criminal action against those responsible.

“Additionally, affected parties can also explore filing a case in the Supreme Court in terms of violating their fundamental rights. These are some measures that can be taken to obtain redress and justice for the victims.”

Questions must also be asked pertaining to the regulatory framework governing gas cylinders and why authorities were unable to ensure the safety that is required of such products, she said.

“Recent months have also seen officials formerly with the Consumer Affairs Authority commenting on discrepancies with such entities and the need for urgent reforms. Questions should be asked as to whether such reforms have taken place and the impact on the rights of citizens,” she said.

“It is incumbent on the opposition, civil society and media to keep attention on this issue and insist that there is a thorough investigation and accountability. Public pressure is also required to ensure the state and private actors adhere to quality control standards and that the rights and safety of consumers are given priority,” she added. (Colombo/Dec18/2021)

Reported by Shihar Aneez, Mahadiya Hamza and Chanka Jayasinge

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal has ordered the country’s cooking gas companies to recall LP gas cylinders in the market and replace them free of charge with cylinders approved by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute, reports said.

The privately owned NewsFirst reported on Friday (17) that the Court of Appeal had made the order when a writ application against the companies was taken up Friday morning.

The writ petition was filed by public litigation activist and one-time presidential hopeful Nagananda Kodituwakku over a recent spate of explosions and fires attributed to liquid petroleum (LP) gas cylinders or related accessories.

A woman was killed in a gas explosion last week.

The next writ hearing will be on January 26. (Colombo/Dec17/2021)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ongoing private visit to Singapore preceded by his decision to prorogue parliament seemingly came to be questioned by a government MP on Tuesday (14).

MP Anura Priyadarshan Yapa, who was chairman of the Committee on Public Finance which now stands dissolved as a consequence of the prorogation of parliament, told reporters that now was not the time to be away.

“I don’t know why the president went [to Singapore]. We must all set an example. This is no time for us to take leave. This is a time to sit down with the people and listen to their grievances. It’s time for work, not for going here and there,” said Yapa.

President Rajapaksa prorogued parliament effective midnight December 12 until 10am January 18. Proroguing parliament automatically dissolves standing committees such as the one on public finance and the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), which means they would have to be reappointed when parliament reconvenes.

Related: Sri Lanka President prorogues parliament

The decision was followed by a sudden visit by the president to Singapore, reportedly for a medical check up.

Related: Sri Lanka President leaves for Singapore for check up

MP Yapa, who was a cabinet minister in the previous government but was overlooked by the present administration, was also critical of the recent spate of cooking gas explosions, to which no one has yet taken responsibility.

“To date, we don’t know what was happening with the gas cylinders. No one in the gas company will explain what happened. In any other country, the board of directors would’ve been thrown in jail. They’re acting like they know nothing,” he said.

“Such a state in the country paves the way to anarchy. There is no governance here; it’s something else here. I brought this up with the finance minister also. The way I see it, there is someone who is on the other side of the cabinet,” the MP said. (Colombo/Dec14/2021)

ECONOMYNEXT – Six incidents of cooking gas explosions and leakages were reported in Sri Lanka on Thursday (09), including a leak in a cylinder sold by Laugfs Gas PLC, as the country’s  Human Rights Commission invited stakeholders for a discussion.

The latest in a series of explosions and fires attributed to liquid petroleum (LP) gas sold by the state-owned Litro gas company were reported on Thursday in Kandy, Gampola, Alawathugoda, Ginigathhena, Ambagamuwa, Nawalpitiya and Veyangoda areas. The Gampola explosion had occurred in a food stall at a local bus stand, reports said.

Laugfs and Litro hold a duopoly in cooking gas in Sri Lanka.

A recent presidential probe concluded that substandard accessories such as hoses and regulators as well as the absence of odour were largely to blame for the explosions.

Related: Sri Lanka gas explosion probe says blame lies largely with faulty accessories

Reports also said a cylinder issued by the privately owned Laugfs gas at a private residence had also started to leak on Wednesday (08) when the homeowners had tried to use it for cooking. The cylinder had been purchased three months ago, well before the recent spate of incidents.

“The cylinder started to leak yesterday, so we switched [the cooker] off. This morning, I removed the regulator and gas started to leak from the cylinder’s valve,” a member of the household said.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has called the Consumer Affairs Authority, the Sri Lanka Standards Institute and the State Ministry of Cooperative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection for a discussion regarding two complaints lodged by the Young Journalists’ Association regarding the incidents.

The Association has complained to the council that the gas companies should display on their cylinders the date of manufacture (filling) and the ingredients (a breakdown of the gases contained), similar to any other consumer good.

Human Rights Commissioner Nimal Karunasiri said the gas companies have also been invited to the discussion.

“We called this discussion to see whether the quality of the product can be assured, if not why that is, and see whether the consumer is being protected,” Karunasiri told reporters on Thursday (09).

Since the issue with gas cylinders is a matter of urgency, the HRCSL will submit a report in two weeks, he said (Colombo/Dec09/2021)

ECONOYNEXT – A committee appointed by Sri Lanka’s president to investigate a series of cooking gas explosions has found that substandard accessories such as hoses and regulators as well as the absence of odour were largely to blame.

A series of liquid petroleum (LP) gas related fires and explosions reported around the island led to a quiet panic among the populace in recent weeks. A total of 458 incidents were reported all year, according to a report by the committee that probed the matter.

The committee said in a statement on Monday (06) that the absence of a distinct odor was a major problem in the detection of gas leaks. Following discussions with all stakeholders, gas companies have agreed to increase the concentration of Ethyl Mercaptan, a gas that gives out a pungent smell, in new batches of LP gas cylinders going forward.

The statement, signed by committee chairman Prof Shantha Walpola, said there has been a significant reduction in LP gas related incidents in the country.

“It has been observed that 244 out of the total 458 incidents were complaints of leaks (as opposed to damaged cylinders, hoses, regulators, etc). Over the past few days, the public has been keen to check the condition of their gas cylinders and have reported such leaks,” Walpola said.

According to the findings, there has been only one incident where a gas cylinder sustained damages, while 178 cases of gas cookers exploding or the cookers’ glass tops cracking, possibly suggesting an unusually hot flame.

The committee urged the public to refrain from testing for gas leaks using unsafe methods.

The second cause for gas related issues the committee has found is substandard or expired equipment such regulators, gas supply pipes, hose clips and dilapidated furnaces.

“We urge all consumers who have not yet paid attention to this matter to purchase components that comply with the standards issued by the Sri Lanka Standards Institute and to purchase quality and safe gas stoves, especially from reputable and responsible agencies, ” Walpola emphasized.

The committee is also conducting studies to determine whether the issues arose due to a gas composition change as alleged by some quarters.

The committee said it studied data on gas composition and vapor pressure imported into the country during the last two years and evaluated the quality of the new system together with the Consumer Protection Authority, the Sri Lanka Standards Institute, the Industrial Technology Institute and the Sri Lanka Certification Board.

The Consumers Affairs Authority (CAA) announced that gases distributed from Monday (06) will have a new seal cover after new requirements were implemented.

An official of the state owned Litro Gas said the new red and white seal will be used to differentiate newly distributed the gas cylinders as per the CAA request.

The official said previously the color of the polythene seal would change weekly but it is not clear if this new polythene seal would be changed similarly.

On Sunday (05) CAA, allowing Litro to recommence distribution (which had been temporarily suspended) said older imported stocks were not to be released to the market, the level of odorant (ethyl mercaptan) to be increased to identify leaks and one in every 100 cylinders be inspected by the CAA.

On December 03, Sri Lanka halted the distribution of LP cylinders as scats of gas explosions rose steeply in the country.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a committee on November 30 to probe the mystery gas blasts across the country. The committee was tasked with finding possible causes in order to provide immediate solutions to the issue, according the president’s media division.

Officials had acknowledged that the explosions are unusual, though there was some denial at first.

Litro Gas supplies to more that 80 percent of the Sri Lankan LP gas market, with the privately owned Laugfs Gas taking up the remainder. (Colombo/Dec06/2021)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed an eight-member committee to investigate recent reports of liquid petroleum (LP) gas cylinder fires and make recommendations, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said on Tuesday (30).

President Rajapaksa appointed the committee to look into a spate of incidents reported to have occurred at domestic and commercial settings such as restaurants and sales outlets in various parts of the country. The committee is tasked with finding possible causes in order to provide immediate solutions to the issue, the PMD said in a statement.

The president has instructed the committee to gather information from all stakeholders and look into existing studies and opinions expressed and to submit a report within two weeks, the PMD said.

Chaired by Prof Shantha Walpola from the University of Moratuwa, the committee comprises Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) Deshabandu Tennakoon, Prof Ajith De Alwis, University of Moratuwa, Prof W D W Jayathilaka, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Prof Pradeep Jayaweera, Prof Narayan Sirimuthu, Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Inventors Commission, Dr Sudarshana Somasiri, Additional Director General of Technical Services and Sujeewa Mahagama, Senior Deputy Director of the Sri Lanka Standards institute.

Authorities have yet to find the cause behind over 20 incidents of fire and explosions suspected to be due to gas leaks. Multiple gas linked fires were reported around the country with some blaming alleged composition changes in the cooking gas cylinders.

The government has acknowledged that the incidents of fire and explosions are unusual and has said it is looking into the matter.  (Colombo/Nov39/2021)

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s state-run Litro Gas Lanka Ltd’s own ongoing investigations into a series of suspected explosions linked to cooking gas have revealed that substandard regulators, clip-on valves and tubes had caused the explosions, a company official said.

The latest explosion was reported in Kandegedara, Nikaweratiya, taking total explosions so far to six.

Litro Gas supplies 80 percent of the liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder market in Sri Lanka.

“From our side, we are ensuring that our cylinders are safety-assured and from the consumers’ side, they have to be cautious about the appliances,” Litro Gas Lanka Ltd Director, Health Safety & Environment, Jayantha Basnayake said.

“We are doing our own investigations and we have completed a report on the cases related to Litro. Our final root cause observation is that the appliances were the reason for these incidents.”

He said only about two incidents were related to Litro.

Litro has an incident handling unit that investigates reports or complaints made by customers.

This unit also works with relevant authorities such as police and government analysts, said Basnayake.

“The cases linked Litro gas cylinders were thoroughly investigated, and the reason was other appliances,” he reiterated.

Though he ruled our foul play, Basnayake said the nature of the consecutive gas explosions seemed a “bit strange”. Litro hears of five to 10 incidents maximum per year mainly due to human negligence.

Customers who find leaks are advised to immediately allow ventilation and remove the cylinder’s regulator and put the safety clip back on the valve, after which the cylinder is to be taken outside.

Basnayake also advised not to use any electrical equipment including mobile phones or even turn on a light swift in the area when there is a leak.

He said the high-standard regulators will always have a safety feature that blocks these leaks.

However, leaks can be identified from its odour or a hissing sound.

He also said that regulators and tubes must be changed regularly: two years for tubes and five years for regulators.

Amid all this, a report of gas explosion casualty has also emerged.

The explosion had taken place on November 13 in a house in Welikanda in Polonnaruwa injuring a 19-year old married girl.

Media reports said the girl passed away on November 25.  However, officials of both Litro and competitor Laugfs Gas said they were unaware of the incident taking place at all, as every incident that took place was immediately reported to the respective company’s officials. (Colombo/Nov26/2021)

ECONOMYNEXT – A spate of fire accidents reported in Sri Lanka in recent days involving liquid petroleum (LP) cooking gas cylinders appear to be linked to gas leaks, a government official said on Thursday as worried customers awaited clear safety precautions from the authorities.

At least four gas leak explosions occurred across the country, namely in Pannipitiya, Palamadulla, Rathnapura and Kurunduwatta, Colombo, in November alone, according to police reports.

“The explosions happened due to the LP gas that leaked mixing with oxygen and other gases in the atmosphere,” Roshan Fernando, Senior Assistant Government Analyst of the Government Analyst’s Department said.

“I must inform you that the cylinders have not exploded in any of the incidents that have been reported.

“Today, we investigated an explosion that happened in Kottawa,” he said, referring to a Colombo suburb town.

“The gas in the atmosphere had ignited due to a light bulb. In that house, a metal clip that we use to secure the gas pipe to the cylinder was also not there. The gas has leaked due to that.”

A key government official at the state-run Consumers’ Affairs Authority (CAA) after his resignation recently claimed that gas companies have changed the proportions of the two gases used inside the cylinder. A widely circulated interview with the official added to consumers’ concerns.

Thushan Gunawardena, the former executive director of the CAA, said gas companies have changed the butane proportion from 70 percent to 50 percent and that could also have contributed to the explosion.

“We are investigating these incidents because these leakages are less than 1 percent of the cylinders we supply to the market per month,” W K H Wegapitiya, chairman of Laugfs Gas Plc, told EconomyNext.

However, Wegapitiya said the fires reported were not related to the cylinders but was rather an issue with the appliances use cylinders don’t explode.

“All these are due to human negligence,” he said.

Laugfs gas accounts for 20 percent of the LP gas market share in Sri Lanka.

Consumer Affairs Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said they have discussed the measures that are already in place and further measures to be taken in the future with experts.

“In the next two-three weeks we will work on issuing gazettes and regulations that need to protect consumers our country,” Minister Alagiyawana said.

“Quality assurance is mandatory in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Accreditation Board is the body that regulated the laboratories that do quality assurance in Sri Lanka.

“We have asked the Accreditation Board to register two laboratories that do quality testing when gas is imported to Sri Lanka. It is to strengthen the system and to assure the quality of the gas we import.

Previously, five gazettes had been issued in 2012 regarding the quality of the gas cylinder, regulators and other equipment,” the minister said.

LP gas leaks occur for a couple of reasons caused by a lack of knowledge by LPG consumers and improper usage, Wegapitiya said.

A composition change in the LP gas cocktail – Butane and Propane – caused the explosions after the traditionally used proportion of 70:30 was changed to 50:50, officials have said.

However, Wegapitiya said there was no logic behind the allegation of increasing propane in the cocktail because it is the more expensive of the two gases.

Domestic gas leaks often happen due to poorly fixed or fitted regulators leading to leaks and gas tubes that are not replaced in time or damaged by pests, and if the user keeps the stove on without igniting, or due to substandard appliances.

Sri Lanka does not have a gas regulatory body. Gas company officials said they have their own investigation units to conduct studies. (Colombo/Nov25/2021)