Be careful while booking domestic LPG cylinders
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Hyderabad: Be careful while selecting options while booking domestic LPG cylinders through the Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS). Oil marketing companies have come out with a new option ‘zero’, choosing which even if by mistake will cost you your subsidised cylinders.
The ‘zero option’ leads to the giving up of the LPG subsidy, an initiative launched by the Central government a few months ago to cut down the subsidy burden. It was introduced in the IVRS without creating awareness among consumers. But, OMC officials and gas distributors say that choosing the zero option alone will not lead to losing subsidy.
Those consumers also need to give a letter of consent to gas dealers later. The written consent is required for the subsidy to be stopped. OMC officials said, this option was given only for IOC consumers and it is not being implemented for HPCL and BPCL consumers.
“As far as HPCL and BPCL consumers are concerned, this option was not given. Only IOC had given that option as far as we know, which too is being corrected now following reports of some consumers pressing zero by mistake. Even if they press zero, there is no need to panic as they need to give their written consent either to OMCs or gas dealers.
Only then their option will be considered,” said Madhukar Ingole, senior marketing official at HPCL. However, consumers are worried over losing subsidy if they press zero by mistake or unknowingly.
“Earlier, in the IVRS, the first option used to be press one to book a cylinder. But now, zero option is coming first to give up LPG subsidy. If we press zero in a hurry or in confusion, we getting a message regarding giving up LPG subsidy. There are several illiterate and semi-literate LPG consumers who may press zero and lose subsidy due to mistake or ignorance. This is not fair. The OMCs should look at other options to implement Give Up LPG subsidy scheme instead of confusing and troubling consumers,” said B. Prabhakar, a consumer.
Greater Hyderabad LPG Dealers Association president D. Ashok Kumar said, “Even if consumers press zero, the OMCs would forward their request to dealers. Dealers have to take written consent from such consumers over giving up subsidy. Then only, they will be excluded from subsidised cylinders.”
HPCL to supply biodiesel in the city from Aug. 10:
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) will begin the sale of environmental-friendly bio-diesel in the city on August 10 at select outlets. The fuel will be cheaper by Rs 5. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) would also begin bio-diesel sales soon.
Mr Ch Srinivas, HPCL official and OMCs state coordinator, said bio-diesel would help reduce pollution levels in the city. Civil supplies commissioner Rajat Kumar, who inaugurated HPCL’s bio-diesel terminal at Ghatkesar, 20 km from the city, said the government would encourage motorists to use bio-diesel by taking up awareness programmes to reduce pollution.
He said these initiatives would be part of the Haritha Haaram project to improve green cover and reduce pollution levels in state. Some private players had earlier sold bio-diesel by setting up outlets at Vanasthalipuram but the initiative failed due to poor demand.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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