Kerala   

Gas consumers resist cylinder delivery charge

MALAPPURAM: A meeting of gas agencies and consumers held here under the chairmanship of District Collector M.C. Mohandas failed to take a decision on the collection of delivery charge levied by gas agencies following the protest of different consumer organisations.

The district committee of the LP Gas Consumers Association pointed out that gas agencies levying transport charge in the district was illegal as the oil companies had appointed the distributors on the basis of their competence and willingness to make free home delivery to the consumers.

Quoting the agreement made between Indane Gas authorities and dealers, Aboo Maliyekkal, State secretary of the Association, said that free home delivery of cylinders was specifically mentioned in the Clause 8.3 of the application form.

The dealership agreement made with HPCL (clause 5), Indane (Clause 4) and Bharat Gas (Clause 4) reads: “The dealer shall at his own cost and without charging any extra to the consumers arrange for delivery of full cylinders from his own storage premises to the customers’ premises and for the return of empty cylinders from the customers’ premises to his own approved storage premises.”

Gas consumers warned of launching an agitation if the District Collector allowed the agencies to levy transport or delivery charges for gas cylinders.

A meeting of the Association held here later pointed out that the Collector had no authority to allow gas agencies to levy delivery charge.

According to Rule 9 of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Regulation of Supply and Distribution) Order 2000, the State government may fix additional charges for home delivery of LPG cylinders to the consumers in certain geographical areas where delivery will be difficult.

“With road access to even remotest areas, Malappuram district never calls for such an additional charge,” said Moideenkoya Velimukku, district secretary of the Association.

M. Mohammed Hasan, president of the Consumer Friend, Malappuram, said that oil companies were already paying distributors Rs. 16.70 a 14.2 kg cylinder for delivery. He said extra charges would not be brooked in any circumstance.

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