Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 16: The Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal today directed oil companies to utilize their full capacity to improve the availability of LPG to the consumers and in this regard asked CAPD to assist the oil companies by providing additional trucks of SRTC to facilitate immediate transportation and distribution of LPG.
He said decisions agreed upon should be implemented on the ground and in this regard he directed the Divisional Administration to dispatch official teams to ascertain the facts on ground and monitor the daily situation. He directed that the provisions of LPG (Regulation of Supply and Distribution Order of 2000) should be used by the empowered officials of State Government to effectively monitor the functioning of LPG dealers.
Interacting with administrative officials and representatives of oil companies through video conferencing to review the availability of LPG in Srinagar, Jammu and other parts of the State, the Chief Secretary said that the oil companies should meet their individual targets and ensure that adequate number of LPG cylinders are dispatched to the dealers and should also ensure their subsequent distribution to the consumers.
The Divisional administration Srinagar and Jammu and representatives of Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum updated the Chief Secretary about the latest availability and supply position in the State. He directed divisional administration and CAPD to report daily supply and distribution position of LPG and gear up district administration to prevent black marketing and artificial shortage.
Chief Secretary asked oil companies to carry out their responsibilities so that consumers are not unnecessarily burdened and said that the manpower at dealership level should be increased as long queues are being witnessed at various delivery points. He said that every consumer with a valid connection should be provided subsidised as well as non subsidised cylinder and supply to active consumers should not be suspended and new connections should be provided to consumers with no previous connection at all.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister B. B. Vyas, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Dr. Asgar Samoon, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Pradeep Gupta, Secretary, CA&PD Mohammad Abbas, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Director CA&PD Kashmir and Jammu, representatives of Oil Companies and other senior officials.