Deliver LPG cylinders at doorsteps of customers or face action: AD FCS&CA asks distributors.

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAAM SOOD

RAJOURI, NOVEMBER 18:–Assistant Director, Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Rajouri vide his office Public Notice (No.AD/FCS&CA/R/2023-24/1638-44 dt 16/11/2023) has asked the LPG Gas Distributors operating in Rajouri district to deliver domestic gas at the doorsteps to the subscribers.
The Public Notice issued by AD FCS&CA read: “LPG Gas distributors operating under the control of various Public sector Oil Companies viz Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL); Indian Oil Corp Ltd (IOCL); and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), who have been issued distributorship for delivering domestic gas in the district Rajouri that it will be the sole responsibility of distributors to deliver LPG Gas cylinders at the doorsteps of the customers irrespective of the location of the house of the subscriber in urban areas and designated points in rural areas as per the policy laid by the oil & gas companies. The customer shall not be charged any extra amount on account of delivery other than the billing amount of the gas”.
It is pertinent to mention here that in urban areas across the district, the designated LPG Gas distributors (of all the companies) have established their gas cylinder distribution centers.
Customers are forced to pay amounts between Rs 50 to Rs 100 to labourers to deliver gas to their houses from these centers.
On the other hand, the distributors misappropriate huge amounts of money paid to them for the delivery of cylinders at the doorsteps of customers.
AD FCS&CA also directed the Oil & Gas distributing agencies to publicise the ‘working helpline, & mobile numbers for the public’s information related to any query about delivery or other issues.
He also directed to display rates of these commodities on the delivery vans/ delivery points on a daily basis to avoid black marketing & over charging.
“In case, the domestic gas distributors don’t adhere to the instructions issued through the medium of this notice, action under Essential Commodities Act shall be initiated against the defaulters” AD FCS&CA notice further reads.
Now, a question arises whether the domestic gas distributors implement the AD FCS&CA’s instruction in letter and spirit or the notice will remain in the files as a routine official formality like in the past.