'Letterheads', a common alibi for distributors
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 18 2015: Going by the clarifications made by some LPG distributors in response to the news reports published in The Sangai Express regarding issuance of additional refills to some privileged/lucky consumers, it appears that letterheads are the easiest means of obtaining subsidized LPG refills.

There are 61 LPG distributors in the State under IOC as against the total number of 256970 DBTL consumers.

As per guidelines, all the consumers should be distributed refills uniformly.

On account of transport bottlenecks and other factors, majority of the consumers hardly get five/six refills in a year.

While the vast majority do not get even four refills in a year, a handful of consumers have been taking more than the annual allotted quota of 12 refills.

This lop-sided distribution pattern demands a thorough investigation in order to find if some influential people are involved directly or indirectly.

Taking serious note of the clarifications made by MM Gas Service, Khoriphaba LPG Service and Thomson Indane Agency, some consumers of these distributors asked whether the Government and IOC authorities were convinced by these clarifications.

Issuing additional number of refills to a handful of consumers while the vast majority are compelled to wait for months smacks of sheer arrogance and disrespect.

There should be certain level of uniformity as far as distribution of subsidized LPG is concerned.

Whether it may be under pressure or otherwise, the lop-sided distribution pattern followed by most distributors demands a thorough enquiry, said the disgruntled consumers, on condition of anonymity.

At the same time, the State Government need to take up necessary measures in order to plug in all loopholes with respect to distribution of LPG refills.

Even if the backlogs could not be avoided on account of insufficient transshipping of LPG, whatever volume of LPG that arrives in the State should be distributed uniformly, they added.

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