Many collect exorbitant connection charges?
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 21 2016 : Many LPG distributors have been collecting LPG new connection charges much higher than the rate fixed by IOC thereby multiplying consumers' anguish.

In the course of the campaign undertaken by The Sangai Express with a view to streamline LPG supply and distribution in the State, more and more consumers have been coming forward to voice their grievances in addition to seeking attention of the concerned authorities urgently.

Some distributors have been charging Rs 11,000 for a new connection of double cylinder.

Apart from the two cylinders, the connection charge is inclusive of the prices of gas stove and other necessary materials, said one consumer who also appealed not to disclose the name of the particular distributor.

Although Rs 11,000 was collected for a new connection, only Rs 4800 was entered in the blue book.

The amount was distributed as Rs 2300 for security deposit, Rs 2400 for two cylinders and Rs 100 for pressure regulator, said the consumer on condition of anonymity.

Some other consumers said that different distributors have been taking varying new connection charges.

Depending on distributors, the new connection charge may be Rs 8800, Rs 9000, Rs 9500 or Rs 10,500 .

When the consumers complained why the exact amounts collected as new connection charges were not entered in the blue books, the distributors told them that they may not enrol for new connections.

The distributors said that they have been paying several monetary demands.

Demanding to know the exact amounts demanded, the consumers asserted that non-disclosure of the exact amounts demanded left ample room for distributors to deceive consumers.

According to information received from IOC's Imphal Divisional Retail Sales Office, State Level Coordinator, no distributor ought to charge more than Rs 6186 for a new connection of double cylinder.

Item-wise rates covered by the total amount of Rs 6186 are security deposit of Rs 2300 for two cylinders, Rs 1486 for two refills, Rs 1800 for stove, Rs 100 for pressure regulator, Rs 150 for hose pipe, Rs 250 for hot plate inspection, Rs 50 for installation demonstration and Rs 50 DGCC (blue book).

Notably, the Government has already issued strict instructions to all distributors to register new connections without undue delay so that all the citizens of the country have access to LPG cooking gas.

But in Manipur, there are certain problems in bringing empty cylinders.

Empty cylinders are supplied by companies to IOC and the companies should deliver empty cylinders to places where they are needed.

In some instances, the companies gave sub-contract to transport agencies for delivering empty cylinders to different places and this may delay delivery of empty cylinders.

In the context of Manipur, empty cylinders could not be delivered to Sekmai LPG bottling plant in time at some instances on account of law and order related issues.

Nonetheless, the bottling plant distributes empty cylinders to distributors in order to facilitate new connections as soon as they reach the plant, informed the official source.

There are reports that some distributors have been discussing about fixing a common rate for new connection by adding extra Rs 2000 above the rate fixed by IOC.

They have been mulling additional Rs 2000 in view of several monetary demands they have been facing.

Nonetheless, charging Rs 9000 to Rs 11,000 for a new connection is too much.

The exorbitant charges may been collected by some staff without knowledge of the proprietors.

Unavailability or shortage of empty cylinders is one major factor for delaying fresh connections as they sometimes got stranded at Guwahati or Dimapur for many days.

When they reached Sekmai bottling plant, officials of the plant had a hard distributing empty cylinders among different distributors.

Some distributors sent their own vehicles to ferry empty cylinders from Guwahati or Dimapur, the official added.

Comment