The Hindu : Front Page : Steps to solve LPG shortage in Kerala

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 25, 2005

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Steps to solve LPG shortage in Kerala

Special Correspondent

859 tonnes of LPG to clear backlog

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Petroleum companies have given an assurance to the State Government that steps will be taken to reach 859 tonnes of LPG to the State by November 30 to tackle the acute shortage of cooking gas.

The petroleum companies gave the assurance at a meeting convened by Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adoor Prakash here on Thursday. Later addressing a press conference, Mr. Prakash said that the 800 tonnes of LPG, which came to around 200 loads, would be able to clear the backlog in bookings.

The Minister said he would also approach the Centre to sort out shortage problems.

Report submitted

Representatives of Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, Hindustan Petroleum, LPG distributors, the Civil Supplies Secretary and District Supply Officers attended the meeting. Kerala's LPG requirements were detailed out in a report submitted by the petroleum companies and a shortfall of 850 tonnes was identified, he said.

The Minister said that he had convened the meeting in the light of widespread complaints about the shortage of cooking gas. The company officials explained that the shortage of cooking gas for domestic consumers was on account of its misuse by non-domestic users, including hotels and LPG vehicle users.

Firm measures

The State Government had decided to take firms steps to tackle the misuse of domestic LPG cylinders by non-domestic consumers. District Collectors districts had been directed to take firm action by carrying out inspections of such misuse. The respective District Supply Officers would carry out the inspections.

The Minister said the Civil Supplies Department on its own had conducted raids in the State last month and had seized 2,448 cylinders. The following is the break-up: Thiruvananthapuram 210, Kollam 105, Alappuzha 401, Pathanamthitta 4, Kottayam 305, Idukki 23, Ernakulam 221, Thrissur445, Palakkad - 33, Malappuram 558, Kozhikode 42, Kannur 43, Wayanad 13, and Kasaragod 45.

The Civil Supplies Officials had also detected an illegal refilling unit at Venjaramoodu and had filed cases against the accused.

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