Consumers voice displeasure against LPG agency
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 02 2016 : The All Heirok Indane Gas Consumers' Union has expressed strong displeasure against the way Heirok Indane Gramin Vitrak has been distributing LPG refills.

According to the Union's general secretary Kh Naoba, the LPG distributor was not distributing refills for two/ three months although it has re-started distribution of refills now.

There are always long queues of consumers every time refills are distributed but the distributor could not give refills to all the consumers who are standing in queue.

Whereas hundreds of consumers were standing in queue awaiting their turns for taking refills, large number of refills were seen taken away in diesel auto-rickshaws and DI Tata every time when Heirok Indane Gramin Vitrak distributed LPG refills.

Then the distributor would tell consumers that the day's stock of refills had run out. Reflecting favouritism and nepotism, some consumers are given additional refills while the vast majority of consumers are told to come back when refills would be distributed next time, he alleged.

Heirok Indane Gramin Vitrak has also been committing many other discrepancies like non-transfer of subsidies to bank accounts, denying refills to large number of consumers for a prolonged period, charging Rs 10,000 for new connection (double cylinder) while the second cylinder is given after two/three months etc.

There were instances when consumers and the distributors had heated arguments on these matters, Naoba said.

Despite all these grievances highlighted by the union, all consumers who made their bookings on December 15 or earlier, and only 24 consumers who made their bookings since December 16 have been awaiting refills as per official records.

The distributor has 491 active consumers and it is distributing 306 refills in a day on the average.

Heirok Indane Gramin Vitrak's performance is rated excellent and many of its consumers have received five to seven refills each this financial year.

Thokchom Anandi Devi (consumer no 112) has received seven refills and she received all the seven refills on the days she made the bookings.

She made the bookings on April 11, May 13, June 30, July 5, July 30, September 28 and November 4 .

SP Chakpi Indane Gramin Vitrak, Chandel has 1618 active consumers and it has been distributing 152.57 refills in a day on the average.

All the consumers who made their bookings on December 28 and earlier have been issued refills and its performance is rated good.

The distributor has issued 10 refills each to eight consumers, nine refills each to 116 consumers, eight refills each to 45 consumers, seven refills each to 55 consumers, six refills each to 122 consumers, five refills each to 220 consumers, four refills each to 49 consumers, three refills each to 139 consumers, two refills each to 133 consumers and just one refill to 75 consumers.

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