Deprivation of Consumers' Right
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: Ocotber 30, 2014 -

It came as good news to the people when the government decided to increase the cap for subsidized LPG cylinders from 9 to 12 in a year for every household.

It was a good move of the government for the people, though it has to spend considerable amount of money from the exchequer.

The increased cap was announced by the Congress-led UPA-II government ahead of the recent Lok Sabha polls, and the new BJP-led NDA government at the Centre has also decided to retain this UPA’s policy.

It is for the people’s benefit that the government has taken up such policy despite of huge financial implication.

However, this policy seems to be totally absurd in Manipur, where the domestic LPG consumers have got not more than five subsidized filled-cylinders for this year till October.

The government’s policy of ’12 cylinders in one year’ means one cylinder per month, but the situation here in the State tells something else.

A consumer has to wait for about two to three months just to get a cylinder, though some grocery stores are selling the filled-LPG cylinders openly at an exorbitant price.

Notably, All Manipur Domestic LPG Consumer's Welfare Association (AMDCWA) has recently taken up this issue and urged the officials of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and CAF&PD to make the cooking gas readily available to the consumers.

Unfortunately, a huge quantity of domestic LPG has been given off for use in commercial lines like hotels by top officials of the state government in connivance with IOC officials.

The rightful consumers in the state are being deprived of their 12 subsidized LPG cylinders in a year. The domestic LPG cylinders are prohibited for use in commercial purposes.

There is a separate type of cylinders designed for commercial use. The commercial LPG cylinders weighing 19 kg are provided by the government at the rate of Rs 1500 to 1700 per cylinder.

However, instead of using a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder costing about Rs 1700, a businessman feels it better to get two domestic cylinders at the same amount.

So, with more than thousands of businessmen using the domestic LPG cylinders for commercial purposes, consumers in Manipur are facing the shortage of cooking gas.

The number of consumers supposedly using domestic LPG gas cylinders in Manipur has reached around 2.93 lakhs and their requirement is around 1800 to 2000 metric tonnes.

Frequent bandhs and blockades along the National Highways passing through the State are also hampering transportation of LPG cylinders from Assam.

In order to redress the plight of the domestic LPG consumers of the State, the government needs to stop illegal use of domestic LPG for commercial purposes with the support of IOC.

The authorities concerned should also follow the order of the Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Ministry strictly to find out illegal use of LPG cylinders, detect multi connection in a single house, furnishing false addresses and prohibit gas connection beyond the jurisdiction of one's district.