Strengthening inspection and handling of violations in the business of petroleum and liquefied gas

(Official Dispatch 574/UBND-TM of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee,February 6, 2012)

In order to strengthen legal discipline, prevent and minimize possible violations in the business of gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and at the same time synchronously deploy solutions to overcome limitations and shortcomings in the business of gasoline and LPG, the Provincial People's Committee requests Directors of departments, heads of branches, sectors and Chairmen of People's Committees of districts, cities, towns and related units to implement the following contents:

1. The Department of Industry and Trade shall preside over and coordinate with the Provincial Police, the Department of Science and Technology, and the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns to direct functional forces to closely manage, supervise, and strictly and promptly handle all violations of petroleum and LPG business activities. In particular, focusing on the following contents:

- Inspect compliance with regulations on business conditions, ensuring fire and explosion prevention and safety for wholesale traders, general agents, agents, and retail stores of gasoline and oil; wholesale traders, general agents and LPG agents, LPG bottle stores, filling stations, LPG supply stations, LPG cylinder manufacturing and repair facilities.

- Suspend operations, revoke or revoke the Certificate of Business Eligibility as prescribed for establishments producing and trading gasoline, LPG that do not maintain proper business conditions and fire and explosion prevention and safety conditions. Eliminate illegal gasoline blending and selling points, decanting and filling LPG.

- Check compliance with regulations on storage and transportation of gasoline, LPG; LPG cylinders and safety equipment. Immediately suspend the operation of vehicles storing and transporting gasoline, LPG that do not meet the prescribed conditions.

- Coordinate with the Department of Science and Technology to preside over and coordinate with relevant sectors to direct functional forces to organize inspections and strictly handle violations and frauds in measuring the quality of gasoline and LPG. Resolutely transfer to the police investigation agency to prosecute serious violations according to regulations.

2. The Department of Industry and Trade shall preside over and coordinate with the People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to review and adjust the planning of the network of retail petrol stations and petrol depots in the area, ensuring compliance with the overall master plan of the whole country and the overall plan for socio-economic development of the province. Inspect and supervise the proper implementation of the approved planning. Resolutely relocate petrol and LPG trading establishments out of densely populated areas, which are not convenient for fire prevention and fighting or are not in accordance with the approved planning. Advise the Provincial People's Committee to report the results of the inspection and review to the Ministry of Industry and Trade before April 15, 2012.

3. The Provincial Police direct the Fire Prevention and Fighting force to review and inspect the fire prevention and fighting safety conditions of all petrol and LPG trading establishments; direct the functional forces to focus on grasping the situation, detecting and destroying lines, gangs, and gathering places for mixing petrol and oil, illegally decanting LPG, acts of stealing petrol and oil, and illegal mixing of other substances into petrol and oil, especially organized and large-scale acts. Resolutely and promptly initiate criminal proceedings to strictly handle violations according to regulations.

4. The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs shall coordinate with relevant sectors to disseminate and propagate legal documents on labor safety and labor hygiene in the production and trading of gasoline and LPG; guide and inspect labor safety and labor hygiene at gasoline and LPG production and trading establishments.

5. The Department of Information and Communications shall preside over and coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade and relevant agencies to direct press agencies to widely disseminate and propagate so that people fully understand the provisions of the law on management of petroleum and LPG trading activities, sanctions, management procedures, use of means and equipment as well as safe use of petroleum and LPG; at the same time, reflect and provide timely, accurate and objective information on violations in petroleum and LPG trading, especially violations in measurement, quality, business conditions, fire and explosion prevention and control; publicize organizations and individuals with violations on mass media.

6. The People's Committees of districts, cities and towns shall closely coordinate with the functional agencies of the province, and at the same time direct the departments and affiliated units to perform the state management function in the area and properly implement the provisions of law on inspection, control and handling of violations of the law in the business of gasoline, LPG; closely coordinate with the Department of Industry and Trade in reviewing and adjusting the planning of the network of gasoline retail stores and gasoline depots in the area.

7. Key traders of petroleum and LPG are responsible for strictly managing and regularly inspecting their distribution systems, ensuring that production and business establishments strictly comply with legal regulations on business conditions, measurement, quality, safety, fire prevention and fighting, security and order, hygiene, labor safety and environmental protection; strictly implementing the process of transporting petroleum and LPG from warehouses and tanks to retail locations; and being responsible for violations of measurement and quality occurring during the distribution of petroleum and LPG in their systems. Require directors of departments, heads of relevant units, chairmen of People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to seriously perform assigned tasks, report implementation results and arising issues to the Provincial People's Committee for timely guidance and handling.

TM. People's Committee

KT. Chairman

Vice president

Thai Van Hang