LPG shortage leaves families worried during festival season

Mangalore, August 30: Complaints about delays in supplying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders in and around Mangalore have increased alarmingly over the last couple of weeks and despite clear instruction from the district administration to the distributors not to inconvenience people during the festival season, there has been no improvement in the situation.

In fact, over the last couple of weeks, the supply of LPG has been marred by more delays and with Eidul Fitr and Ganesha Chaturthi around the corner, people have expressed concern over the situation.

The refilled cylinders, which would normally take five to six days to be delivered to the customers, are now being supplied after a delay of 15-20 days. And any inquiry with the distributors is normally snubbed with a standard reply, “ no stock”.

As per the rules, the distributors are bound to supply a gas cylinder each to customers in rural areas after a gap of 21 days. But the customers are being put to hardship with delayed supply and the agonizing wait for the LPG cylinders sometimes even stretches beyond a month.

According to a customer, the distributors are trying to get a couple of days extra to deliver cylinder in an attempt to keep up with their share of contribution to the black market. Earlier this 'adjustment' meant two-three days of extra wait for each customer. But the waiting period has now increased to anyway between a week and 10 days. Thereby these distributors are complying with their obligation towards the black market, a customer said with condition of anonymity.

“Hundreds of cylinders are diverted to the commercial customers at a higher price. Domestic consumers are left in the lurch,” said a housewife from Bunder. Many consumers do not bother to check with the gas agencies about the refilled cylinder and quietly approach black market in order to keep the kitchen flame burning. The chaos surrounding the verification has also forced several 'unauthorised' consumers to keep quiet under the fear of a backlash from the gas agencies.

The anger of LPG consumers has acquired a different dimension as Muslim families across the state are observing Ramadan fasting and there is understandably more demand for cooking gas. With festivals lined up, beginning with Ganesha festival, housewives from Hindu families are also apprehensive that the anomalies in the supply of LPG cylinders would add to their woes. Just when the normal middle-class and upper middle-class families are coming to terms with the shock of inflationary price rises, the LPG chaos has taken the sheen off their festive mood.