Srinagar, Nov 2: Oil companies operating in Kashmir have out-rightly refused to provide non-subsidized LPG cylinders to consumers on ration tickets despite directions from the State Government. As a result, consumers who have some deficiencies in documents and want to buy non-subsidized cylinders are facing huge inconvenience.
“Gas dealers are refusing to provide non-subsidized gas cylinders that cost Rs 973 to consumers on ration cards. It is height of injustice. The State Government had announced that till the documentation process is completed consumers can get non-subsidized LPG cylinders on ration cards,” Ajaz Lolpuri, a local resident said adding that on ground there is no implementation of the Government order.
A group of consumers waiting in a long queue at Ram Munshi Bagh here, on being asked whether they are being provided non-subsidized LPG cylinders on ration tickets, said: “Leave aside getting LPG on ration tickets, we are waiting here for last two hours despite having all the requisite documents. The dealer doesn’t provide non-subsidized cylinder on ration tickets.”
The people question if oil companies have restricted the supply of subsidized gas to only those consumers who have red/blue book then why don’t they allow purchase of non-subsidized cylinders to all consumers till the documentation process is done. “We have been purchasing gas cylinders from these dealers for past 30 years but now they are terming our connections as illegal,” a consumer said.
Gas dealers argue that they cannot provide non-subsidized cooking gas cylinders on ration tickets. “Oil companies have refrained us from providing non-subsidized gas to consumers who don’t have authentic documents,” a dealer said.
“On one side State Government issues rhetoric statements asking us to provide non-subsidized gas on ration tickets, on the other side there is pressure from oil companies for following their directives. We are sandwiched between the two. If any gas dealer fails to observe the guidelines of oil companies, he is severely penalized,” the dealer said.
He said earlier also Government issued an order asking gas dealers to provide gas as per previous practice till October 15, but oil companies forced us to follow new LPG policy that laid stress on verification before issuing gas refills.
The dealer said they can provide non-subsidized (exempted) LPG cylinders which cost Rs 1259 to consumers on ration cards.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 2 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 2 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 3 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST