AGARTALA, June 8 (TIWN): The lame duck ministry of Food and Civil Supply led by State Finance minister Bhanu Lal Saha is standing a mere spectator as lakhs of public money is looted by the LPG distributors throughout the state.The looting of people’s money by the LPG distributors is continuing ever since the price of domestic LPG cylinder was raised to Rs. 737.50 per cylinder by the public sector company Indian Oil in April this year. LPG consumers of the state are helplessly buying the domestic LPG cylinders at Rs. 740 per cylinder from the LPG distributors as the people have no option but to pay extra Rs. 2.50 per cylinder to the distributors. The agencies are pocketing the extra Rs. 2.50 per cylinder giving excuse of the insufficiency of the Rs. 1, Rs. 2, and 50 paise coins.The distribution of LPG cylinders, which comes under the ministry of Food and Civil Supply is going on unchecked by the department of food and civil supply leading to the corrupt practices of the distributors. According to sources in the food and civil supply department, more than two hunderd LPG distributors are running their business throughout the state and the lakhs of customers who are buying the LPG cylinders from these distributors are duped of their hard earned money by the distributors everyday.According to some consumers who wanted their Rs. 2.50 money back from the distributors but had to be dismayed at the excuse of no change.

Consumers claim that Bhanulal’s ministry should take immediate action to stop this malpractice by the LPG distributors.

Meanwhile, the consumers of Gas-o-Flame, an LPG distributor of the capital city alleged that they are often meted out with ill treatment by the employees of the agency at the be hest of the owner of the agency. The system followed by the distributor to deliver the cylinders is causing harassment to the consumers who had to stand in long que to get their LPG cylinders after nearly two months of booking. “We feel as if we are being ill treated for coming to take delivery of our gas cylinders,” claims one consumers with his tone full of anger and frustration over the whole business of the LPG distributor.

“The condition of the consumers of other gas agencies of the state are not different from the consumers of Gas-O- Flame though there may be differences in the manner in which the harassment to the poor and helpless consumers are meted out,” claims the consumer.

It is high time that the lame duck ministry of Food and Civil Supply led by Bhanulal Saha take some immediate action to stop such malpractices by the LPG distributors.