The much-hyped home delivery of cooking gas nowadays is seen failed to take off in south Kashmir’s Anantnag District. The authorities, following a rigorous exercise of regularizing domestic LPG connections before two years back, had announced a ban on the point delivery of cooking gas and directed the distributors to stick to home delivery. Nonetheless, the Gas agencies and distributors in south Kashmir’s Anantnag District is looking to violate Government norms and has seen it illegally transferred domestic into commercial purposes. According to KNS correspondent, Hussain Babu, sources said that the illegal refilling of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is turning out to be a highly profitable business in south Kashmir’s Anantnag District. However LPG is illegally transferred from a cooking gas cylinder to any othercylinder for commercial purposes. Sources said the Agencies and Distributors in Anantnag District sell illegally domestic Gas to vendors, roadside motor mechanics, LPG-fitted vehicle owners, Dhaba's, Hotels, and restaurants. “The use of domestic gas for commercial purpose goes unabated in the city and no one is held accountable for it though it goes against the rules set by Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution,” he said.
He said that the district authorities are aware of the illegal practice in the district but nothing concrete has been done so far. “And those involved in the illegal trade mint doubles the profit,” sources said. Meanwhile the residents of Kamad Village of Anantnag District told to KNS that at least hundreds of domestic gas cylinders being misused in cars and other vehicles in District Anantnag every day. Despite government's assurances time to time that refilling gas stations would be set up in the valley, but nothing has been done on the ground so far. “For the past couple of years the oil companies have been announcing to set up refilling commercial gas stations for vehicles, particularly in Kashmir valley but nothing has changed and domestic cooking gas is still being misused,” residents said. However Residents of Dialgam, kamad, Wanihama, Brinty, Pethabug Schichen, Larkipora and Vessu told to KNS that before two years back the Govt had announced the rate and subsidy of LPG cylinders of Rs 620per cylinder in valley but the Dealers violate govt norms and take Rs 720 per cylinder from consumers. They alleged that these villages became the hub of Black Marketing but nothing has been done from the administration, they added. Meanwhile we contacted to Assistant Director Food but his cell number was out of reach. (KNS)