No LPG delivery from tomorrow

The All India LPG Distributors Federation (Karnataka Circle) on Saturday said the LPG distributors in the state would stop delivery of cooking gas cylinders for domestic consumers from Monday to highlight their problems and press the demand for revision of their commission.

Addressing a press conference, N Sathyan, secretary of the federation, said there are flaws in the present LPG delivery system, such as diversion of domestic cylinders to commercial use.

“It is not possible to check diversion of cylinders. Unless the government draws up a fool-proof mechanism, it is not possible for us to deliver the refilled LPG cylinders at the door steps of every consumer,” he added.

He said while delivery men put signature in the Domestic Gas Customer Card, consumers sign on the duplicate cash memo.

There are chances that customers might pick up quarrel with their agencies for non-delivery of the cylinder as there is no system to check the authenticity of signature on the cash memo. In case, a customer does not have the card or has lost it, there will be no proof of delivery of cylinder. In such  cases, customers get agitated and take distributors to task for no fault of theirs.

“We are not interested in such arguments. Those who have lost or misused cards must obtain duplicate copy or else LPG cylinders will not be delivered,” Sathyan added.

He also lamented that the LPG distributors who are like bridge between the consumers and the oil companies, were not taken into confidence to make the system fool-proof.

The federation has also suggested the government to have single pricing 14.2 kg LPG cylinders in subsidised, non-subsidised and exempted categories so that there will be no confusion. The subsidy amount can be later transferred electronically to bank account of the customers,” said Lingaraju B L, senior vice-president, All India LPG Distributors Federation.

Lamenting that the distributors’ commission has not been revised for the last three years, Lingaraju said, “We are getting Rs 25.83 for each cylinder. A proposal has been given to hike our commission to Rs 48 per cylinder. But the oil companies have recommended only Rs 38 which is not sufficient.”