LPG refilled cylinder available at Rs 5100 !
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 27 2016 :
Despite all
the efforts to check diversion of
subsidised LPG refills to grey
markets, LPG refills are avai-
lable at Majorkhul junction of
Thangal Keithel at Rs 5100 per
refilled cylinder.
The price of a single re-
filled cylinder in grey market
is much higher than the price
of a filled cylinder given at
the time of registering a new
connection which is Rs 1893
as fixed by IOC.
After much bargaining,
one can buy LPG refilled
cylinders at Rs 5000 from
Majorkhul junction.
One can
also buy empty cylinders at
Rs 4800 per piece.
And if
one has to exchange an empty
cylinder with a refilled cylin-
der, one has to pay Rs 1200.
There are many shops and
outlets which repair gas
stoves, regulators etc in and
around Majorkhul junction.
Here at these shops, empty
gas cylinders of 4 Kg capac-
ity are available at Rs 1500
per piece.
But it is not sure
whether these shops have
been authorised to sell empty
cylinders or not.
Siphoning of LPG from
commercial refilled cylinders
and domestic refilled cylin-
ders of 14.2 Kg capacity is
also done openly here.
Com-
muters as well as law
enforcing agencies see this
unethical practice.
One non-local man who
runs a tea stall at Majorkhul
junction said that they are
banned from using domestic
LPG refills by police.
However, hotels and tea
stalls located at Paona Keithel
along Nambul river and
Kakhulong use commercial
LPG refills.
If one chooses two filled
cylinders at the time of regis-
tering new connection, the
combined price is Rs 3786.
But there are some dis-
tributors which charge as
much as Rs 11,000 for a new
connection.
This amount cov-
ers prices of two filled cylin-
ders, one stove and other req-
uisite components.
On the other hand, as per
an instruction of the IOC,
consumers are allowed to
make bookings on the next
day of obtaining refills.
In
case one fails to collect refill
after 90 days of booking, a
fresh booking should be
made.
But this instruction of
the IOC has not be complied
with exactly by distributors.
A few days ago, two con-
sumers of Manipur Gas Ser-
vice were denied refills on the
ground that their bookings
had expired even though 90
days had not lapsed since they
made their bookings.
After standing in queue for
a long time, the two consum-
ers returned empty handed.
Left with no other option,
they made fresh bookings on
February 25.Such anomalies
which smacked of arrogance
on the part of distributors
demand immediate attention
of concerned authorities.
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