LPG consumers sign pact for rights with distributor
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 02 2015: Kakching GPW Consumers Welfare Union (KGPWCWU) recently signed an agreement with the local LPG distributor with an assurance to stop cheating the consumers.

According to a release issued by KGPWCWU convenor Ksh Suresh, the agreement was signed between the distributor and Union on January 31.After signing the agreement, the distributor assured providing new connection as per tariff fixed and approved by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.

The distributor also agreed to display the fixed tariff at its premises for public information and knowledge.

The release said the inclusive cost of new connection for single cylinder is Rs 1150 (empty cylinder), Rs 100 for Pressure Regulator, Rs 250 for Hotplate inspection (if hotplate is purchased from distributor, which is not a must), Rs 50 for installation/demonstration, Rs 50 for Double Bottle Cylinder administration charge (if purchased two cylinder at a time, this amount is not payable), Rs 50 for administrative changes of issuing Domestic Gas Customer Card, Rs 50 for mechanic charges for mandatory inspection of domestic installation.

For additional cylinder, include Rs 1150, said the union.

The assurance given by the distributor also includes strict action against any staff involved in "mischief" to be taken by the management of the distributor.

The consumers will be provided refills after 20 days from the time of booking and a copy of online refill booking to be intimated to the distributor and the same will be issued within 20 days, informed the release.

The agreement also said that consumers, whose names do not match due to the spelling mistake and family name changes will be accepted and that the distributor will make efforts to complete DBTL application on or before March 20 .

The procedure for transferring from other person, to next of kin in case death of subscriber within the family members should be simplified.

The consumers can fill a form approved by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd where the "transfer and transferee will sign in a prescribed form", which is available with the distributor.

In case of lost of original Subscription Voucher, the consumers still need to submit an affidavit, which will be responsibility of consumers and not the distributor.

The agreement between the two parties came after the management of distributor learnt that the Union had already obtained the evidences of anomalies and was getting ready to expose the same.

The Union said the main "mischief" was diverting and misuse of LPG refills by the distributor.

The consumers were given only 3 to 4 refills in 2014 as per consumers' DGCC record, whereas 6 to 7 refills were given to the consumers as per the order and delivery history available at www.indane.co.in.

The refill orders were given on the same day or 3 to 7 working days as per the consumer's online record.

Copies of a consumer's DGCC record and online history is enclosed for verification.

Such practices are also reported from other LPG distributors in Manipur with evidence, said the union.

The Union warned that if such practices are repeated, action will be ensured to protect the rights of consumers and book the defaulters under the law of the land.

The Union however clarified that it had no rights to interfere if any consumers want to claim their shares, which the distributor had diverted either legally or otherwise.

LPG consumers have been requested to take the online service facilities, where each consumer can avail online booking for new connection and refill, submission of bank detail, linking of Aadhaar number and monitor the refill order/delivery history.

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