Move to nose out multiple LPG connections hits consumers hard

They are forced to buy non-subsidised cylinders from distributors

The State government’s ambitious initiative to sniff out multiple LPG connections from households has struck a wrong chord among citizens.

The de-duplication verification drive being undertaken by the State-owned oil companies through their respective distributors has only compounded consumers’ problems, especially those seeking new LPG connections, than speed up the process for which it was put into motion.

Citizens are roiled that under the guise of de-duplication drive, gas agencies are fleecing them by asking them to pay non-subsidised rates for cylinders which cost Rs 950, as against the subsidised rate of Rs 420, till the current drive is duly completed.

Clear directive

In the absence of a clear directive on the matter, Rajarajeshwarinagar Resident Welfare Association member Diwakar R said, distributors were refusing to provide cylinders at subsidised rates.

Koramangala resident Chandrappa claimed that the agency was sitting on his application for a new gas connection despite furnishing all proper documents.

Dasarahalli resident Gayathri K said officials at the LPG distribution offices were exploiting the situation and expecting favours for clearing their applications for new connections.

All India LPG Distributors Federation (Karnataka Circle) secretary Sathyan N, however, maintained that the de-duplication drive was to ensure a foolproof list of customers and penalise those found having multiple connections.

While conceding that citizens were facing inconvenience, a senior official from the Food and Civil Supply Department said that once the drive was through, things would normalise.

The directive from the union ministry says that new LPG customers have to wait till the de-duplication verification and Know Your Customer (KYC) forms’ verification process with the three oil companies, get over, to get subsidised cylinders.

Only after ensuring there is no duplication, customers will be switched to a connection for subsidised cylinders, wherein they would receive six subsidised cylinders a year.