AGARTALA, May 23 (TIWN): The government exposed a major irregularities of gas- agency owners, selling domestic LPG on commercial rates, by the food and civil supply department has now found five other gas agencies who have been duping consumers as well as the government by overcharging and preferring certain consumers over others, claimed Minister for Food and Finance Bhanu Lal Saha.

Speaking to reporters at secretariat on Friday evening the minister said the department of food has gathered enough evidence likely to recommend India Oil Corporation for appropriate action against five gas agencies to their oil companies.

According to a report the five gas agencies are B. B Gas agency, Ashirbad Gas agency, Satyanarayan gas agency, Capital gas agency and R.K.S gas agency. In the report, the minister said it was found during the examination of documents and other inquiries that the gas agency owners were duping the consumers and the government and netting profits.

Then it was found that the agencies preferred some consumers over others by allowing them to jump the booking queue. These consumers got cylinders either on recommendation or paying extra to jump the queue over others who had booked earlier.

Speaking about the ongoing LPG crisis, the minister assured backlog will reduce soon as work at Bishalghar bottling is going at full swing. Currently, there are 41 gas distributors in the state with 3.40 lakh consumers. The state needs 2, 04,232 LPG cylinders (2900 MT) in each month.

To ensure regular distribution of LPG cylinders in the state, vigilance squads were formed. The department has already requested its valued customers to get their bluebooks verified at the LPG gas agency or gas companies. It also requested the customers to surrender their illegal connections immediately if they have or the department would take legal action under the revised LPG (Regulation of Supplies and Distribution) order.