The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has carried out monitoring of petrol pumps in collaboration with the partner agencies.
KMC stated that petrol pumps mainly in Balaju, Kalanki, Kalimati, among other places, were monitored over 15 days. KMC Urban Good Governance Department chief Hari Kunwar said the monitoring was conducted to find out the reality as most of the petrol pumps currently in operation are found very close to human settlements and road.
A five-member study task force led by Kunwar was formed for the study. A representative each from KMC, Traffic Police Office, Nepal Oil Corporation and the Department of Urban Development are the members on the team.
The process for removing the 'unsafe' petrol pumps would be started once the status of the petrol pumps would be available on the basis of the monitoring report to be submitted by the task force.
According to Kunwar, it would not be difficult to close down the petrol pumps that started operating after 2054 BS. Those pumps that are feasible for shifting to another place would be transferred and in the case of the non-feasible ones, the bodies concerned would be urged to manage them.
KMC has started the study after public complaints that risk of disaster has increased due to the operation of petrol pumps close to the settlements. There are altogether 75 petrol pumps in KMC.
