Srinagar, Nov 15: The offices of gas dealers in Kashmir Thursday witnessed huge rush of consumers who were waiting to get their LPG connections verified. The oil companies had set November 15 as the final deadline for submission of Know Your Consumer (KYC) forms for consumers whose connections were blocked.
The consumers said the verification process was tedious and the deadline should be further extended. “There are thousands of consumers who are yet to get their documents verified in view of the tedious verification forms. So the Government must press upon the oil companies to extend the deadline for verification and submission of KYC forms,” said a group of consumers.
The deadline was earlier extended by 15 days. The verification, according to officials, is being done to “weed out multiple or ghost connections.” Meanwhile gas dealers also urged oil companies to extend the date for submission of KYC forms. “Oil companies should extend the date for submission of KYC forms till March as we are yet to fully register the verification of our customers,” said a gas dealer.
However an official of Oil Company told Greater Kashmir that those consumers whose connections are blocked cannot fill the KYC forms now. “We are hopeful that the Union Oil Ministry would extend the deadline to provide relief to the consumers but so far we have not received any information on this account,” he said.
The official said oil firms are implementing the policy of 'one household, one connection' and have asked consumers to voluntarily give up additional connections.
Multiple LPG connections in the 'same name and at the same address' as well as 'husband and wife' owning connections at the same address would be summarily disconnected.
 In case of multiple connections at same address under different names, distributors have been asked to collect KYC forms to verify genuine users.
The official said transfer of LPG connection to family members would be permitted, subject to certain conditions. Also, transfer of LPG connections to legal heir in case of death of consumers would henceforth be done through a self-declaration by the next of kin and death certificate. Previously, legal heir/succession certificate was required.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST