Kata-gas units back in biz 3 months after slum fire
Times of India | 13 May 2024
Kolkata: The illegal refuelling centres for auto-rickshaws are back in business following a temporary halt of three months after an explosion from the cylinders had destroyed around 50 shanties at a slum in Anandapur near Tagore Park in February. The racketeers lay low for a while, apparently to evade law, before restarting their operations, albeit with a tweak.
They have shifted refuelling autos in the dark of the night, instead of during the day, and have also shifted their ‘kata-gas’ units from the Chowbagha area to localities off E M Bypass, such as Bhagabanpur near Jagatipota, Metropolitan, Patuli, and Baghajatin. TOI visited the areas to find that most of these units have now cropped up in residential localities, posing safety and environmental threats. At places, like Bhagabanpur, makeshift bamboo structures are set up to house the “fuelling stations”, where domestic gas cylinders, also sourced illegally, are stocked up. Auto drivers flock to these dens, mostly under the cover of the night, to refuel their vehicles surreptitiously.
Many auto operators opt for the illegal refuelling services apparently for the promise of a better mileage, apparently higher than that the legal options of CNG and auto-LPG. Despite the risks associated with using domestic LPG for autos, such as engine damage and increased emissions of harmful gases, the lure of spending less but receiving higher efficiency apparently draws drivers to these illegal units.
The illicit nature of these operations extends to the very sourcing of the LPG cylinders, often obtained from poor households in suburban areas or even from beneficiaries of govt schemes. These cylinders, priced lower than legal alternatives, fuel the thriving black market for auto-gas refilling in the eastern and southern suburbs.
Although legal auto-LPG is readily available at designated fuel stations across the city, the profitability of illegal refuelling and the economic incentives for auto drivers perpetuate the cycle of illicit activities. Despite the short-term gains, experts caution against the long-term consequences of using domestic LPG, including engine damage and environmental pollution.
As authorities grapple with enforcement challenges and regulatory loopholes, the resurgence of illegal auto gas refilling operations underscores the urgent need for concerted efforts to curb the rackets and safeguard public safety and the city’s environment.