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Gas cylinder victims pin hope on group action to win justice
Cooking gas cylinder explosion victims and survivors are seeking compensation – an issue, which, according to them, is in the government’s back burner.
An ad hoc consumer protection group is taking up their case and sending petitions to the authorities.
The All Island Consumer Collective (AICC), which has now 800 members, is seeking justice for the victims of gas cylinder explosions that have been taking place for the past two months. It has handed over a petition to Consumer Protection State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna.
AICC Convener Milinda Premaratne said the Government had not made any move to compensate the victims despite the loss of lives, injuries and property damage.
Another member Sudath Sirimanne (53) lost his wife in a gas cylinder explosion. He has four school-going children and is now looking for a house.
“We were living in a rented house in Kandy for the convenience of the children’s education. On that fateful morning on December 2, 2021, my wife went to the kitchen to prepare tea but soon the kitchen was engulfed in flames after the cylinder exploded. She cried for help, but the children found it difficult to open the kitchen door, as it had got jammed. It took them some time..
“By the time help came she had suffered severe burnt injuries. She was taken to the Kandy hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on December 12, 2021, after doctors unsuccessfully tried for ten days to save her,” he said.
Sirimanne, a Samurdhi Officer from Matale, said his children, including a teenager preparing for the Advanced Level examination next month and a ten-year-old sitting for her Grade 5 scholarship examination, had no home and live with family and friends in different places.
He said no politician had visited him so far. Neither has any compensation been paid to him.
AICC convener Premaratne, a father of two dependent children, himself was a victim.
His wife Shiromi (50), is still recovering from burnt injuries sustained in a gas cylinder explosion. She had suffered third degree burns to her face, hands and legs, needing plastic surgery.
Mr. Premaratne said they had been operating a small eatery at Peliyagoda. With the gas shortage continuing for months, he had been buy gas in the black market to continue his business.
The day the tragedy occurred, he had bought a new cylinder paying Rs. 500 more. He had then gone to the market to buy other items.
He said he had to rush home on receiving a call. He saw his wife had been badly burnt and the cashier box looted.
She was rushed to the National Hospital. Although she had come back home after weeks of treatment, she was still recovering from the shock and requires treatment for scars, he said.
Mr. Premaratne said that with no place to run his business, he had lost his only source of income.
Whatever, little savings he had, he had spent it on food and hospital trips.
His cry for help had fallen on deaf ears, he said. “I sent letters to several people, including Prime Minister’s wife Shiranthi Rajapaksa and former President Chandika Kumaratunga, but received no response,” he said.
Mr. Premaratne said that he realised collective action was necessary to win compensation and that was why he was trying to rally families of gas cylinder explosion victims.
He said AICC members visited police stations and collected details of victims.
The AICC has around 800 members, including activists who believe that the victims should be compensated and those responsible should be brought to justice.
“We are preparing a report and will hand over its copies to the President, the Prime Minister, the subject minister and to opposition parties, calling for justice,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister Alagiyawanna said the Government was looking at paying compensation to the victims.
He said talks were being held with the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC ) that will be paying compensation up to Rs . 1 million under an insurance cover for Litro gas consumers.
A recent explosion at Thalawakale. Pic by Sudath H. M.Hewa
However, the scheme that was hurriedly opened by Litro Gas in December 2021 following the blasts specifically states that claims will be entertained only if the explosion involved damage to the cylinder
The ongoing gas cylinder explosions have been attributed to a change in the composition of gas in the cylinder.
As such how far the SLIC would go to provide compensation is yet to be seen, the activists said.
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