The Hindu : Front Page : Households warned of inferior LPG tubes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 08, 2007
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Households warned of inferior LPG tubes

N. Ravi Kumar

Agents posing as representatives of oil marketing companies selling them

— Photo: M. Vedhan

mark of safety: Tubes sold by oil companies have Suraksha written on them.

CHENNAI: Direct marketing agents posing as authorised representatives of national oil marketing companies, such as the Indian Oil Corporation, are insisting that households purchase rubber tubes for LPG connections.

The agents, according to residents, almost force their way in by telling the inmates that they are authorised by the companies or coming from the cooking gas agency to service their LPG connection.

They also claim that the hose is one recommended for its safety features by the companies.

However, LPG distributors say the tubes being offered by the sales personnel are of inferior quality.

When questioned, the young agents say they are from ‘IOC-BP-HP’ and flash an identity card issued by a private firm with ‘HP’ and ‘BP’ printed in one corner.

Several households in Pattabiram were witness to this unauthorised sale of tubes. After declaring the tube in use as risky, the agents made the residents purchase new tubes from them at Rs.200 each, including Rs.20 towards ‘servicing,’ said consumer activist in the area T. Sadagopan. Deputy General Manager-LPG of IOC (TN State Office) U.V. Mannur, however, said: “We [oil companies] have not allowed anyone, except our [LPG] distributors, to inspect the connections.” He added that a similar menace was rampant in Bangalore sometime ago and was curbed after the police initiated action.

Staff sent by distributors for service and inspection carry authorisation letters from them.

Moreover, the Suraksha brand hose recommended by the oil companies is not for sale in open market, he said.

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