SRINAGAR, Nov 3: Kashmir requires at least 18,000 LPG cylinders each day during winters but the supply is only around 13,000 – only 65 percent of the total demand – the government said on Friday.
In an affidavit submitted in the High Court after the latter’s direction about requirement of cooking gas, divisional commissioner, Asgar Hassan Samoon also said that almost 25 percent of the consumers don’t possess the required documents for refilling.
There are only 46 LPG distributors in Kashmir, but 22 more locations for the same have been advertised for distributorship, the affidavit read.
Samoon informed the court of Justices Muhammad Yaqoob Mir and Hasnain Masoodi that oil companies were not cooperating with the state government which resulted in problems to ordinary people.
While hearing a Public Interest Litigation on the LPG mess, the justices directed the government to constitute a Task Force of officers to supervise the supply and distribution of gas. They also directed oil companies to sit together to hammer out a solution to the problems of LPG cylinder distribution.
In reply to the direction about delivery points for sale of gas, the affidavit stated that the government has notified distribution points for sale of LPG in Srinagar city through newspapers for the information of general public.
“The officials of CA&PD department were ordered to monitor each LPG delivery point to facilitate proper distribution of LPG. Flying squads were constituted for avoiding chances of monopoly of LPG distributors and to monitor the supply and distribution.”
The affidavit said that till necessary documents are updated, the connections of the consumers existing on the database of oil companies have been unblocked and are supplied refills irrespective of whether the KYC or Know Your Consumer form has been completed or not.
“However, such customers shall compulsorily need to complete KYC formalities before he is released the next supply. Further, almost 25 percent of the consumers having no documents are not being provided LPG refills as there is no provision for such consumers as per the revised policy on LPG,” the affidavit reads.
