S.Tahir-Ul Haq
Early Times Report
KUPWARA, May 11: Scores of villages in Karnah Thesil of Kupwara district in north Kashmir are up in arms against the oil companies and its dealers in Kashmir. Villagers complain that they are yet to avail the home delivery of LPG service facilities, despite complaints made to the CAPD, the private agencies are violating the norms despite having an order of distribution of LPG cylinders.
Sources told Early Times that, "Scores of residents in Karnah thesil of Kupwara district in north Kashmir like Parnai, Pingla Haridall, Parrah, Shamispora, and Sudpora villages are up in arms against the Indian oil companies and its dealers for not providing home deliveries, besides charging high rates in each gas cylinder in their areas.
"We are yet to avail the home delivery facilities from oil companies like LPG, Bharat Gas Agencies. Every time we have to run after the dealers for LPG cylinders. The assurances of the state government as usual have turned out to be untrue, said sources.
Local resident of Parrah said, 'Neither the department of Consumer and Public Distribution (CAPD), nor the concerned oil companies, has taken steps to make alternative arrangements for maintaining the supply of gas refills to the consumers in these far flung areas.
There are many gas agencies in Kupwara district who are charging high besides the fixed rate between 300 to 450 gas refills. This includes home delivery of cylinders to the far flung areas and sales made at the godowns, said local resident.
Locals further said that there is a need of greater coordination among all concerned agencies like government departments and various oil companies to extend enhanced basic services like cooking gas to the people, besides keeping a strict vigil over black-marketing of the same. A local LPG dealer in Kupwara district told Early Times that due to some unavoidable reasons we could not provide the gas cylinders to these areas as there is a proper procedure of verification which needs to be completed first.
When asked, there is an order of distribution of LPG cylinders in far flung areas, distributor said that, still there is a problem which has derailed the entire process, with many people made to wait for months to get their refill in time.
However a senior official of CAPD said that that there is strict enforcement of the rates and home delivery services in the respective areas and if it was found true we will take stern action against the violators.
"Gas agencies have been asked to ensure cylinder delivery on time and if they fail to do so, people can contact the respective distribution officers so that strict action is taken against the distributors, said official |
