Srinagar, Oct 13: Days after announcement of cap on LPG by Government of India, people across Kashmir are being subjected to harassment by gas dealers in the name of documents.   
 While expressing concern over the presence of load carriers and auto Rickshaws near distribution points, consumers allege that gas dealers are facilitating black marketing leaving the genuine customers high and dry and at the mercy of employees of gas agencies.
 “Gas dealers dump subsidized gas cylinders which they later sell at non- subsidized or even at exorbitant rates to gullible consumers,” locals alleged. 
 The consumer demands if gas agencies doesn’t have the list of consumers. “Why doesn’t state government provide LPG cylinders on the basis of ration card and assign Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution department of facilitating the distribution?”
 It is irony that only 43 dealers are operating in valley to cater to the distribution of LPG cylinders to around 10 lakh consumers in Kashmir valley.
 While experts raise serious concern over the dismal ratio between consumers and dealers.
 “If CAPD department has ration depots in every area, why don’t oil companies operating here increase their dealerships  in valley so that consumers don’t face any inconvenience ,” they say.  
 Greater Kashmir received scores of complaints from consumers alleging highhandiness of gas dealers while submitting the Know Your Consumer (KYC) forms and other documents for getting the LPG connection updated.   
 “Owner of a gas agency at Nawabazar and the employees there threw away our documents which we had brought to get it verified,” said a delegation from Nawabazar who threatened to launch protest demonstration if the concerned gas dealer failed to change his attitude toward consumers.
 “We are not beggars; we purchased gas connections from the dealers. At the time of purchase they didn’t provide us any documents. But now they are denying that we have purchased LPG connections from them,” Ajaz Ahmad, a local resident said.
 Meanwhile, on Saturday consumers who had procured their connections from JK State Cooperative Consumer Federation Ltd said the office has been shut for the past many days.
 “We had deposited our documents for connections a week back but since then office at Jiger Complex is hut,” said Masood Bala, an aggrieved consumer flanked by scores of others.
 CAPD Minister, Qamar Ali Akhoon refused to comment on this issue.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 13 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 13 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 14 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST