March 4, 2006	Saturday	Safar 3, 1427

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RAWALPINDI, March 3: All Pakistan Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Association (APCA) Chairman Tariq Kandaan has criticized serving of notices on some of the CNG stations by the district administration for not obtaining environment-related no-objection certificate (NOC).

In a statement issued here on Friday, he said conversion of more than 800,000 vehicles to CNG had contributed immensely towards reducing environmental pollution in the country.

Describing the notices as against the government’s policy of promoting pollution-free environment, he said the establishment of CNG station required some 14 NOCs from different departments through the district co-ordination officer (DCO). He added that the CNG stations did not fall under the Pakistan Environment Protection Act as the government had not declared the business an industry yet.

Mr Tariq said the issue would be raised with the higher authorities if the department concerned did not withdraw the notices.

He said no liquid or any other material was being used in running a CNG station which could harm the environment.

APP adds: Meanwhile, a spokesman for Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) said simple rules and regulations of the authority had fetched an investment of Rs45 billion in CNG and LPG sectors.

In a statement issued here, he contradicted a news report published in a section of the press about ban on import of equipment of CNG and LPG from Italy, Germany and Argentina.

The authority, he said, had recently published SRO briefing about import of CNG cylinders, compressors and conversion kits from Italy, Argentina, Germany, Brazil, the US, Austria, China, UAE and Iran. Similarly, the high-standard LPG equipment can also be imported under the OGRA rules, he added.

He said the authority had so far issued 2,300 licences for CNG stations and 100 licences for LPG production and marketing which demonstrated its investment-friendly policies.