ID :
135150
Thu, 07/29/2010 - 06:57
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GOVT TO WITHDRAW 9 MILLION SUBSTANDARD GAS CYLINDERS

Jakarta, July 28 (ANTARA) - The government will soon withdraw 9 million substandard 3-kg gas cylinders from circulation in response to a string of gas canister blasts in the country.

The gas cylinders would be pulled out when they were refilled at state oil and gas company Pertamina's depots, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono said prior to a limited cabinet meeting at the presidential office here on Wednesday.

The government had ordered Pertamina to hold the distribution of the gas cylinders in the community, he said.

Actually, the gas cylinders imported from Australia and Japan had no low quality but they did not meet the Indonesian National Standard (SNI), he said.

"Only those which do not meet SNI will be withdrawn. Their number is about 9 million," he said.

He said the government had no plan to improve the quality of gas cylinders which met the SNI.

Under the kerosene-to-gas conversion policy introduced in mid 2007, the government provided the poor with 3 kg-gas canisters plus stoves free of charge. The move is aimed at slashing kerosene subsidy in the state budget.

The number of 3-kg cylinders distributed so far had reached about 60 million.

However, substandard gas cylinders have caused fatalities among their users. Up to June 2010, a total of 33 blasts were recorded with 8 people killed and 44 others injured.

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