RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has launched a crackdown on illegal agencies selling petrol and diesel without following safety measures and taking licences.

The RCB on Thursday sealed four such agencies on Abid Majeed Road near the Military Hospital.

According to RCB spokesman Qaisar Mehmood, the civic agency received reports about shops selling petrol and diesel openly. He said the RCB team visite d A bid Majee d Road, Q uaid-i-A zam Colony, Pe ople`s Colony and Mughalabad and found the shops selling petrol without adopting safety measures.

In the garrison city, some residents purchase petrol from oil tankersand sell it openly. Selling petrol and diesel outside filling stations is illegal as it would endanger the lives of the residents.

A senior official of the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) told Dawn that it was the duty of the Civil Defence to take action against outlets dealing in petrol and diesel without taking licences.

He said the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) had asked the district governments a year ago to launch a crackdown on illegal dealers in their respective areas. Upon this, the CDGR wrote letters to 13 oil companies and requested them to provide a list of their authorised distributors and ensure the minimum safety requirements in and around their outlets but no response was received.

He said during the initial inspection, it was found that a large number of oil agencies were working without taking permission from the district coordination officer (DCO).