Imphal, September 01: Peeved with the alleged repeated incidents of selling off LPG in black markets, consumers of K&K Indane Service, Tera have sealed their LPG distributor/agency today.

Earlier addressing a press meet at Ideal Club, president of Kanglei Ching-Tam Leima Lup NH-53 Silleima disclosed that the K&K Tera used to sell filled LPG cylinders at Rs 450 to Rs 580 per cylinder.

The consumers were given receipts on plain paper.

Even as majority of the households located around Tera have 2/3 LPG consumer cards, the agency distributed LPG cylinders only thrice in a year at the most.

However, LPG cylinders were always available if the consumers were ready to buy from the black market, Silleima said.

Informing that LPG cylinders being distributed currently were booked in May, Silleima disclosed that the agency often duped the consumers saying that all the cylinders have been distributed only after distributing about 50 LPG cylinders out of two truck loads arriving at the agency.

Under the circumstances, it was immaterial whether one has booked for LPG or not.

As such, the consumers were compelled to buy LPG from black market at much higher prices, she conveyed.

Informing that the agency belongs to one Angom Boby s/o Kumar of Lalambung Makhong Takhellambam Leikai, Silleima disclosed that according to agreement made with the consumers earlier, the proprietor agreed to issue a clarification through mass media following which the consumers were pacified for sometime.

Earlier, volunteers of the Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) seized LPG cylinders kept concealed by the agency to sell them in black market.

Enraged with the agency dirty practices, local people of Tera area, mostly women came out and sealed the agency today.

The agency will be kept sealed indefinitely until the proprietor comes to an understanding with the consumers.

In case the proprietor wishes to shift the agency's counter, he should first refund the money taken for consumer cards to each consumer, Silleima asserted.

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