What They Don't Teach You At B Schools
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 18 2011:
Defective or worn out LPG cylinders which have been disposed off as scrap metals are have found their way back in the market after being repaired and these repaired cylinders have found their way back to Sekmai bottling plant thereby causing a serious headache to LPG carriers.
About two/three months back, the bottling plant sold out 816 worn out or defective cylinders at an auction.
These cylinders were repaired by some unscrupulous elements in the form of welding, muddying or re-painting and sold in black markets.
These cylinders already rejected by the bottling plant have found their way back to the plant through distributors/agents.
This has resulted in serious trouble to LPG carriers.
These defective cylinders on reaching the bottling plant were seized by officials of the plant and the drivers who brought these cylinders were asked to pay for replacement cylinders, said Assam Petroleum Mazdoor Union, Imphal secretary Naorem Dillip.
When the drivers took this matter to the distributors/agents, the distributors blamed the drivers for the foul play and asked them (drivers) to manage in their own capacity.
This resulted in serious disagreement between the two parties.
Dillip himself is a driver of a truck carrying LPG cylinders for an LPG agency.
"We are only transporting filled and empty cylinders.
The task of distributing LPG cylinders is the responsibility of the distributors", Dillip lamented.
On the other hand, it has been learnt that defective or worn out cylinders auctioned by the bottling plant were delivered at a place in Langol Games village.
Before the defective cylinders were auctioned, all the cylinders were bored and their brass valves were removed.
These brass valves are not available in markets.
As such, it remains a question how the cylinders were re-capped with brass valves to re-sell them in black markets, Dillip said.
The defective cylinders re-appeared in the black markets after a gap of about one month since the cylinders were auctioned.
The point of concern is not the money lost by those who were duped to buy these cylinders but the possibility of leakage and explosion which is very high.
Dillip said that all LPG cylinders have their own serial numbers.
The issue resulting from re-appearance of these defective cylinders has been consulted with distributors, Dillip said as conveyed by the bottling plant Manager to drivers.
In a written intimation, the Manager has instructed distributors to make entry of the serial numbers of each and every LPG cylinder, the Mazdoor Union secretary conveyed.