Sittwe residents urge local authorities to regulate roadside petrol stalls

By Admin 25 Mar 2023

DMG Newsroom
25 March 2023, Sittwe

Residents say the number of roadside petrol stalls in Sittwe, Arakan State, has become a concern that authorities need to monitor.

Past shortages of fuel at the main filling stations in the Arakan State capital led to the emergence of many mobile roadside petrol stalls on Sittwe’s streets.

Sittwe residents said that since roadside petrol stalls are selling fuel near residential areas and in crowded places, there is a risk of accidental fire.

“The local government is very weak in regulating roadside petrol stalls. People still occasionally smoke next to roadside petrol stalls. Some filling stations are located in densely populated areas, which is very dangerous for local residents,” said U Tun Aung Sein, a resident of Sittwe.

Arakan State has seen 27 fire outbreaks since January, in which 38 houses were burnt. Arakan State saw a total of 73 fire outbreaks in 2022, with financial losses totalling over 136 million kyats, according to the state fire services department.

One man was injured in a fire outbreak at a row of roadside petrol sellers in Sittwe’s Set Yon Su Ward on March 4.

“Roadside petrol stalls sell fuel near residential areas, so the government needs to be vigilant because if cigarettes are accidentally dropped by passersby, they can catch fire,” said Daw Ah Nge, another Sittwe resident.

The Arakan State Oil and Petroleum Products Conservation and Supervision Subcommittee told DMG in December 2022 that it would conduct educational programmes regarding roadside petrol stations. However, no educational programmes have been made known yet.

“When government officials come to Sittwe, the local authorities clear the roads but do not regulate those roadside petrol stations, which are a danger to the public,” said another local woman in Sittwe. “The authorities should handle roadside petrol stalls carefully so that no one gets hurt and the people are safe.”