Srinagar, Oct 24: Sensing trouble due to ongoing LPG crisis in the valley, gas dealers operating here have urged the State Government to play a lead role to prevent the situation from taking a violent turn as according to them people have started running out of patience.
Jagmohan Raina, Secretary, Gas Dealers Association, has written a letter to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah seeking his intervention on the matter.
“We have apprehensions that situation can turn violent if the problems of locals on account of cooking gas are not mitigated. People here are running out of patience and we have become their first targets,” the gas dealers have said in the letter.
They said that State Government should ask oil companies to provide multiple connections to the LPG consumers here because of topographical disadvantages of the State.
They demanded that in the larger interests of the people, verification of consumers should be extended till March 2013 keeping in view the upcoming winter. After the announcement of new LPG policy, oil companies have blocked the multiple connections.
“LPG gas crisis will take an ugly turn in immediate future. Before the situation goes out of hand, we all have to assess the situation rationally in the larger interests of the poor people of Kashmir,” the letter reads.
“LPG crisis in the Valley will multiply in coming weeks. Migration of people from one locality to another and 30 percent consumers without proper documents will lead to chaos and confusion which ultimately is not allowing a consumer to obtain a cylinder,” it states.
“Supplying gas to identified customers is a Herculean task for the gas dealers. This can be updated but not at such a short notice. In between, the consumers have started facing problem for not getting supply due to non-filling of required form. This is not the opportune time to complete the formalities because of two reasons: winter months are approaching and people by and large store cylinders in October and November for these months,” the letter says.
“We know that in winter months the consumption of gas doubles and there are always chances of road-blockades which create shortage of LPG. Out of 3 oil companies only H.P. has a plant for filling gas in Kashmir and other two companies are receiving supply from Jammu and outside J&K,” the letter reads.
Pertinently, meager number of gas dealers in valley has further worsened the problem of LPG consumers. Existing dealers are finding it hard to provide hassle-free distribution of cooking gas while oil companies have failed to increase the number of dealers here.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 24 Oct 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 24 Oct 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 IST