Commercial refills witness upswing trend More eateries shun domestic LPG
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 28 2016: Use of commercial LPG refills in tea stalls and big hotels has been rising in Imphal and greater Imphal areas since the last couple of months.

Some LPG distributors told The Sangai Express that commercial refills supplied by Sekmai LPG Bottling Plant remained in the godowns of distributors for months in the past.

Whereas IOC officials were goading distributors to sell commercial refills, very few people were interested in commercial refills.

But since the past couple of months, commercial refills have found many consumers.

A random survey conducted by The Sangai Express in some pockets of Imphal and greater Imphal areas found many hotels and restaurants using commercial refills unlike in the past where domestic refills were used quite openly.

Notably, domestic LPG refills were used quite openly in many stalls opened at the State sponsored Manipur Sangai Festival of 2014 .

Even as the IOC appealed to the State Government to check the unlawful practice, the Government opted to act mute and blind.

It was only in the Manipur Sangai Festival of 2015 where some stalls were seen using commercial refills for the first time.

All the efforts of IOC to check abuse of domestic LPG refills were rendered futile in the absence of cooperation from the State Government and the department concerned.

The new price of domestic LPG refill of 14.2 Kg capacity which came into effect from January 1 is Rs 834 and this is inclusive of Rs 18 for home delivery.

The price is Rs 815.50 or Rs 816 if consumers wish to collect refills from distributors.

The variance of 50 paise is because of division of residential areas as hilly area or plain area.

The amount of subsidy given by the Government of India on one domestic LPG refill is Rs 360 .

The new price for commercial LPG refill of 19.2 Kg capacity which came into effect from January 1 is Rs 1535.50 which means one Kg of LPG (commercial) costs Rs 80.82 .

On the other hand, the cost of one Kg of LPG is Rs 91.54 if one purchases the domestic LPG refill of 14.2 Kg capacity from grey market at Rs 1300.So many are of the opinion that it is far better to use commercial refills rather than using domestic refills sold at grey markets.

Meanwhile, a consumer of Jemon Gas Chingamathak while highlighting various inconveniences encountered at the distributor has appealed to the authorities concerned to suggest necessary remedial measures at the earliest.

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