DHAKA:  A section of officials and employees of Dhaka City Corporation are impeding conversion of its cars to gas usage that could cut down fuel costs, DCC sources said.

Several officials, wishing not to be named, said some officials and drivers of DCC are preventing conversion of a fleet of 100 modern dump trucks, given under Japanese grants, to CNG-run vehicles.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JAICA) has donated these container vehicles worth Tk 82 crore for garbage and waste disposal in the capital city, Dhaka. The sources said an initiative was taken to convert 45 of the trucks, but the move was halted by this lineup of officials, engineers and drivers.  

The officials told banglanews24.com.bd that the drivers in collusion with some officials of the transport department are obstructing the conversion as they would not be able to go on lining their own pockets with the sleazy proceeds from vehicle oils.

They alleged drivers are taking sanction of petroleum even for empty containers lying idle on roads—in some cases, beside heaps of garbage littering the street.     

“The authorities came to know that requisition for fuel was given for four empty containers in Mirpur region and then seized the containers,” said one official.

He feels it is only the tip of the iceberg--there are hundreds of allegations of the like against the drivers.

They further deplored that a section of officials are also allegedly involved in fuel pilferage on various ploys. And this combined vested interest stood against conversion of vehicles for running on the cheaper fuel—CNG or compressed natural gas.  

The city corporation has 561 vehicles of various types: 403 trucks, 57 hydraulic loaders, 24 pickups, 38 jeeps, 12 microbuses, two staff buses, four water-carrying containers, five ambulances, 217 motorbikes and one truck-lot. Of them, only 63 vehicles were converted to CNG usage.     

In line with the agreement with JAICA, 45 of the 100 container trucks given by Japan will have to be converted to CNG-fuelled lorries.

DCC chief garbage management officer captain Bipul Kumar Saha said in line with the terms of agreement with JAICA, the trucks will have to convert to CNG usage. “If Japan will condone breach of the agreement is a moot question,” he said.

Project Director Engineer Tarek-bin-Yusuf said meetings are being held with JAICA on the issue. “Nothing can be done which will harm the relations with Japan, a major development partner of Bangladesh.”

BDST/1017, JULY 8, 2010