Extra LPG connections can be surrendered online

GANGTOK, 04 Dec: For all the hullaballoo being raised over the extent of multiple gas connections that people in Sikkim have and the efforts of the concerned authorities to get the people to surrender their extra connections, it has now come to light that there is a much simpler method to go about this should the people wish to choose - Online surrendering of the extra LPG connection.
It is surprising that given the confused state of affairs regarding LPG in Sikkim, this simpler method has not been advertised or publicized for the consumers here.
Oil companies are providing the facility of surrendering multiple LPG domestic connections online. For this the consumers have to login to the website of Oil Company and fill the details of the connection they want to surrender. While there is a standing direction to all consumers to surrender their extra gas connections the dealers have come up with the idea of KYC (Know Your Customer), something which has created an amount of confusion and complication as well.
However, the primary motive is still to establish the number of gas connections a family has. In fact, and if reports are to be believed, only families with more than one gas connection are required to fill the KYC form. In fact the Indane portal states: “Customers whose names do not appear in this transparency portal as Multiple Connection Holder or in the list available with the distributor need not, repeat need not, submit the KYC details.”
But in Sikkim, everyone is being asked to submit the KYC details!
After the consumer fills the details of the LPG connection they want to surrender, it is the responsibility of the dealer to complete the other formalities. Complaints have been pouring in from consumers ever since the system of cap on subsidized gas cylinders was introduced and there may even be apprehensions among the public over surrendering of the ‘illegal’ extra connections. In fact this system of online surrendering of extra gas connections was introduced by the Ministry of Petroleum and Gases in light of the large number of complaints.
However this particular method has not been publicized much in Sikkim where too consumers are facing problems apart from the fact that the IOC has found as many as 60,000 surplus connections.
STCS officials here in Gangtok, while agreeing that the extra connections could be surrendered online as well, stated that the first priority for the authorities at present was to get all the consumers to fill out the KYC forms. Once this process is completed, the authorities will be focusing on getting the people to surrender their extra connections.
“However those who wish to can voluntarily take up the method of online surrendering of extra gas connections,” confirmed Menla Ethenpa, GM, STCS.

MP urges commercial units to use commercial LPG

GANGTOK, 20 Feb: A delegation of senior officials of the Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. (Marketing Division) comprising of Chief Manager(Operations), IOCL, Kolkata, Mr. Sai, Sr. Area Manager, IOCL, Siliguri, S. Mukherjee, Dy. Manager (Sales), IOCL, Siliguri, Jessica Tin, Plant Manager, IOCL, Bagey Khola, Anirban Roy, Asstt. Manager, IOCL, Bagey Khola, N.P. Bhutia, called on Lok Sabha MP, PD Rai this morning at Gangtok and apprised him about the Indane LPG supply situation in Sikkim post the 18 Sept 2011 earth-quake, informs a press release.
They thanked the Government of Sikkim for appreciating the role of IOCL and their local distributors for coming forward during the crisis situation to meet the challenges. They also informed the MP that the production of the Indane Gas at Bagey Khola has been increased to 300 MT as compared to 100 MT in the previous year. Now, the plant at Bagey Khola has a storage capacity for 10 days as buffer stock in case of any calamities, the release informs.
IOCL has also floated tender for the appointment of dealers in five remote places like Chungthang, Mangshila, Lower Pheney Phensang (North Sikkim) and Dentam, Soreong (West Sikkim) under Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitrak Scheme. They also brought to notice that most of the commercial and industrial units in Sikkim are still not using 19 Kg commercial cylinders in their hotels and projects, which is mandatory as per norms, the release mentions.
While thanking IOCL on behalf of the government, the MP requested them to accord top priority to the state, as Sikkim is an eco-friendly Green State and the state government under the able leadership of Pawan Chamling is doing everything possible to ensure that its greenery is maintained at any cost.
He further urged IOCL to accord top priority to release immediately the pending requisition of LPG connections under ICDS Centres (Aaganwadi Project) and Border Area Development Programme in North Sikkim, which are pending for quite some time. The proposal of IOCL to bring LPG bulk in bigger bullet to Mazitar Plant was appreciated by Mr Rai and assured that he will take the issue up with the concerned department, the release further mentions.
Mr Rai has urged all the commercial and industrial units in Sikkim to strictly use 19 Kg commercial LPG for their project which are available at any point of time from any distributors of IOCL in Sikkim. These units should discourage bringing these cylinders from outside the state. He also urged the concerned department to work out a mechanism as a deterrent to such practice. He assured IOCL all possible help from his side in the interest of the state.