Manipur consistently failing to ship in quota of LPG every month
Loss calculated at 800 metric tonnes per month
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 29, 2012: Inability to regularly ship in LPG loads is reportedly resulting in the loss of about 800 metric tonnes of cooking gas quota for Manipur every month.

According to an informed source, the Central Government earmarks State's monthly quota of cooking gas at 2200 metric tonnes compared to which only about 1400 MTs could be transported into Manipur in a month.

The main cause for the below-par shipment of the essential item is said to be time consuming process of LPG tankers having to move with security escorts even though such a security arrangement is considered inevitable taking into account problems faced by transport operators while plying on the Imphal-Dimapur route enroute to LPG depots in Assam.

A map outlay of the Sekmai bottling plant

The source also conveyed that, excluding gas distributors authorised by the Defence Ministry, there are a total of 33 distributors in the State with the registered consumers put at 2,95,216. Consequent to the monthly stocking of cooking gas far below the allotted quantity, IOC could not allot requisite LPG load to the distributors subsequently leading to the consumers unable to benefit from the prescribed norm of atleast one refill after 21 days every month, explained the source further.

Out of the total distributors in the State, there are 11 in Imphal West district, eight in Imphal East, Bishnupur three, Churachandpur two, Ukhrul one, Thoubal four, Senapati four, with two each in Tamenglong and Chandel.

On the otherhand, owing to certain procedural lapses/complications the Rajiv Gandhi LPG Vitarak cooking gas scheme dedicated to the late Prime Minister could not be implemented in an effective manner in the State.

Inspite of the scheme aimed at ensuring cooking gas to rural households in 37 blocks by setting up distribution agencies the same could be implemented in only five blocks till date.

under the scheme, two loads of LPG, each load made up of 306 refill cylinders, are supposed to be allotted to each of the distributor every month.

LPG shortage is a perennial problem in the State.