Gas quota cut may leave city fuming!

THE CITY could witness a shortage of domestic gas cylinders if the petroleum companies go ahead with their proposed measure to cut the city?s prevailing LPG quota by 15 to 20 per cent.

THE CITY could witness a shortage of domestic gas cylinders if the petroleum companies go ahead with their proposed measure to cut the city’s prevailing LPG quota by 15 to 20 per cent.

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The issue cropped at a meeting of the LPG dealers called here by additional district magistrate (civil supplies) Narendra Shankar Pandey. The dealers are said to have apprised the ADM about the possibility of cooking gas cylinders’ crisis looming large on the State Capital as the oil majors intended to reduce the regular quota of the domestic gas cylinders being supplied to the city.

“I have written to the State coordinators of the petroleum companies to exempt the State Capital of any such cut in the quota,” said Pandey adding that he was confident that the issue would be resolved and there would be no crisis. He said oil companies took these steps from time to time on account of lower production and availability of crude oil. Sources on the other hand said that the dealers often raised the cooking gas bogey to create an artificial shortage in the market simply to encourage black-marketing.

The LPG dealers, however, were warned by the ADM that those found indulging in such gimmicks would be dealt with strictly by the administration. Pandey also warned that the LPG dealers not to show any laxity in issuing new connections to the consumers. “I have been told that some dealers harass people in issuing new connections,” he said and added that action would be taken if the complaints persisted.

On the other hand, the president of Lucknow LPG Gas Dealers’ Association DP Singh said that the reduction of LPG quota in May and June by oil companies was an annual feature. “This is because there is a lower consumption of cooking gas during this period. Since oil majors review the demand and supply situation every month, they cut the quota accordingly,” he pointed out.

Singh said that the lower domestic consumption of LPG was owing to summers in which, for instance, people consumed less tea/coffee. Siarjul Hasan of the RD Gas Agency in Bangla Bazar, who said the city gas dealers were prepared to tackle any crisis, expressed similar views. “As of now we have sufficient stock. But let me assure you that we won’t let the consumers face any problem even if there is a shortage in the coming days,” he said.