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Create grievances cell, oil PSUs told

NEW DELHI: Following large scale complaints from consumers and representations about the “`indifferent attitude” of the oil marketing companies (OMCs), the Petroleum Ministry on Wednesday asked the companies to set up a public grievance redress mechanism within two weeks.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora reviewed the working of the Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited on Tuesday and pulled them up over the issue of continued waitlist for domestic LPG connections and reported shortages of petrol and diesel in various parts of the country particularly in South India.

Petroleum Secretary R. S. Pandey, who was with the Minister, told the CEOs of the OMCs to set their house in order and ensure that the entire LPG waitlist is cleared within 60 days.

Ministry officials said on Wednesday that Mr. Deora had been flooded with representations from various sections, including elected representatives, about the non-availability of petroleum products, shortage of LPG and issuing of new connections.

Mr. Deora said there was an urgent need for strengthening the public grievance redress mechanism by the OMCs to serve customers efficiently.

The OMCs have been asked to take up the grievances on priority. Each OMC will provide a toll free number to the customers along with name, phone numbers, address and e-mail address of Public Grievance Officers. The meeting decided to address demand-management issues in mission mode and time-bound manner by improving efficiency in fuel consumption across various sectors.

“The review meeting that I took on Tuesday was part of the initiative by the Ministry to review the functioning of oil companies, especially during the next few months when the demand for petroleum products rises substantially,” Mr. Deora added.

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