STCS to launch renewal process of LPG consumer documents in West Sikkim

“NO CRISIS BUT PROPER DOCUMENTATION NEEDED FOR IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION”
GANGTOK, 24 May: The State Trading Corporation of Sikkim [STCS] is all geared up to improve and organise the distribution of LPG cylinders for the West District inclusive of Jorethang area within the second week of June. It is informed that there are about a total of 23,000 beneficiaries or customers of STCS in the West District including Jorethang but lack of proper documentation or illegal consumption has given rise to a crisis in the supply of LPG cylinders.
Speaking to NOW! today, Managing Director [MD] STCS, Gyamtso Pulger stated that unauthorized consumption, improper documentation of  existing consumers had resulted in the present crisis in West Sikkim. The STCS inclusive of the local administrators carried out a survey and according to the survey it was found that consumers lacked proper documents.
The survey carried out also highlighted the problem of incomplete documents following which STCS is all set to start the renewal process of documents to know the number of actual consumers and the supply required.
Mr Pulger mentioned that as per the policy framed by Indian Oil Corporation Limited [IOCL] no consumer is entitled to a LPG refill in the absence of proper documents and blue book. He went on to say that no black marketing as such were traced in the West District and appealed to all consumers to cooperate with STCS in carrying out the exercise being planned to organise and improve the supply of LPG cylinders.
Mr Pulger iterated that consumers who have lost their blue book or subscription receipt issued earlier with the connection need to file an FIR at the nearest police station and fill up a form available with the distributor for availing fresh, proper and up-to-date documents to continue receiving unhindered supply of LPG refilled cylinders.
On the current status of refilled LPG cylinder supply to the West District, Mr Pulger informed that, two trucks loaded with a total of 524 refilled cylinders from IOC plant is being unloaded at Jorethang godown on a daily basis and there exists no crisis like situation at all. However, he added that the supply of cylinders also depends on the availability of refilled cylinders in the bottling plant.
Adding more, he explained that the demand for new LPG connection in the West District and Jorethang persists but the issuance of the same totally rests with the IOC. So until and unless the new connections are issued by the IOC, distributors operating across the state cannot supply the same.