Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 30: All J&K LPG Distributors Association has called off tomorrow’s one day strike and announced that the work will continue as usual and supplies will not be affected in any way.
This was announced in a handout issued here today by president of the Association Sidarth Sharma. He said the Association took the decision to avoid inconvenience to the customers, who are already feeling the brunt of recently announced subsidy withdrawal decision by Government and capping of domestic refills to six per year.
He said in addition to this the Government has also introduced a re-verification process where all customers have to submit “Know Your Customer (KYC)” forms and other credentials to provide their being bonafide gas consumers which has already led to confusion and chaos.
A spokesman of the AJKLPGDA informed that the newly announced scheme has not only put huge financial strain on the customers, but also put LPG dealers in a most difficult situation due to multiple pricing of the same cylinder. There are no checks available with dealers to ensure fool proof delivery so that subsidized cylinders given to consumers can be matched with their blue/ red books.
He said the dealers are facing many problems in this regard which include no software upgradation, inadequate commission, labour problems and sudden rush of consumers in panic due to unclear policies which has led the trade to a state of virtual collapse. Basic services like home delivery has been severely hampered due to non firm system of establishing proof of the number of subsidized cylinders being given to consumers in absence of proper entries in the red books, he added.
The spokesman said that the Government should have evolved a system of direct transfer of subsidy amount to the consumers for their six cylinders in the year so that this confusion could be avoided.
The spokesman said though LPG dealers are available to solve the problems of public, still for the benefit of the consumers it is necessary to clear certain things.
he said 1.25 lakh connections have been blocked as there are multiple connections in the same house or for no refill taken for 180 days. Only such customers whose gas connections have been blocked are needed to approach the dealers for verification while the active customers should not be in any hurry as the verification process will continue upto December 31 this year.
The customers can simply check the status of their connection by producing the red book or on phone, the spokesman said, adding the customers are advised to frame their red books because under the new system no delivery can be made without entry in this book.
He said as per the current policy only three refiles will be provided on subsidized rate till March 31 next year at the rate of Rs 408.50 per cylinder in Jammu city and six cylinders per year after that.
He said any requirement beyond that will be charged at the unsubsidized rate of Rs 796.50 in Jammu city subject to monthly revision.
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