‘Verification' gives nightmare to LPG consumers in city

Department turns away consumers saying ‘servers are down'

People at the help desk at the food and civil supplies department regarding LPG connection in Mangalore on Friday. Photo: R.Eswarraj

Several citizens, who approached the Food and Civil Supplies Department, on Friday to set right the problems regarding LPG connections had to return disappointed.

Hundreds of people, including those who had submitted their documents to LPG distributors months ago, logged into the website http://ahara.kar.nic.in and found that their LPG connections had been suspended or marked for verification.

Government advertisement asks people to upload documents sought through the website within 15 days. “If a beneficiary finds uploading data through the website inconvenient, then he or she may approach the nearest office of the Deputy Director for assistance,” it says.

Hoping to get some help many approached the office of the Deputy Director only to hear: “Our servers are down.” Officials asked people to upload them in cyber cafes only. Jayakar K., who came to the office to submit the documents relating to the LPG connection of his sister Pushpa, said: “That is the easiest way of shirking work.” If the officials wanted to really help people they could have done something, he said. When Mr. Jayakar approached the help desk, he was told that servers were not working on the desk and was asked to move to another section where too he got the same reply.

Vishwanath of Urwa Store told officials that he had tried to upload the documents in internet parlours but could not succeed in doing so. He said he could not get any help in the office. So was the case with J. Abdul Khader of Ratnakar Shetty Layout, Kodialbail. “I do not want to come back to this office and waste Rs. 25 on fuel,” he said.

Deputy Director Sharanabasappa said the usernames given to officials did not work on Friday. New usernames and passwords had been sought. He said by Monday the problems would be sorted out. There would be at least three computers dedicated for scanning and uploading the documents.

Assistant Director D. Chinnappa Gowda asked people to come with the photocopies of the main sheet of the LPG consumer card or LPG bill and secondly the electricity bill. Those having ration cards should bring a copy of that, he said.

Dakshina Kannada district has 3.06 lakh LPG connections.