Price of filled LPG : Rs 2000 !
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 25 2011:
With almost every essential item commanding a high price and despite belated measure by the Government to control prices of goods, possessing a filled LPG cylinder is turning out to be the difference between the haves and have-nots.
Since economic blockade came into effect from August 1, the price of an LPG cylinder has been gradually on the up and at present it commands a whooping Rs 2000, as was discovered by The Sangai Express during a random survey of the market.
Compared to the agency price of Rs 415.50 per filled cylinder the same is found available in the black market in the range of Rs 1800 to Rs 2000, thereby indicating a nexus between the agent(s) and the black-marketers for such an important item have literally vanished from various households even though it is still available, if one can afford.
During the survey it came to light that in the initial days after the economic blockade came into force, a filled cylinder commanded Rs 1000 which gradually increased to Rs 1500 and then to the current rate of Rs 2000 with normal transportation of goods on the National Highway 39 coming to a grinding halt and current arrangement of vehicular movement on the Imphal-Jiribam route consuming a number of days, if not weeks.
|
Even though it has become a common sight to see customers watch helplessly as uniformed personnel load multiple filled cylinders in police vehicles without even producing relevant documents (gas cards) there has been no information of the law enforcing agents pulling up a single LPG black marketer.
Under the acute shortage of LPG, the only means for hundreds of family is to prepare food either with firewood or charcoal even though prices of these items have also gone up due to shortage of supply, the source of which used to be the hill districts.
It is informed that presently a large charcoal bag cost Rs 380 to Rs 400 while firewood per 40 kilos/maund has reached Rs 250 from Rs 180 for the same quantity sometime back.