LPG Panic Drives People To Compromise on Safety
High demand, booking glitches push consumers to alternatives
Hyderabad: With limited availability of the regular 14.2 kg LPG cylinders, meant for domestic households, many residents in the city have begun looking for smaller 5 kg cylinders as an alternative. The sudden demand for cylinders has led to long waits, technical problems on booking portals and concerns over the safety of some unregulated products being sold in the market.
With chaos over LPG cylinder shortages, demand for the smaller 5 kg cylinders are now in high demand. Dealers say that branded cylinders supplied by authorised LPG companies are being sold quickly, leaving many customers searching for alternatives in local markets.
The smaller cylinders, customers said, are usually meant for temporary use, travel or small households. Some customers said they preferred to buy the smaller cylinders from authorised sources.
Anil Kumar, a resident of Abids, said, “I tried booking my regular cylinder for three days but the app kept failing. I didn’t want to risk it, and I bought a 5 kg cylinder from an authorised dealer. It cost a little over Rs 500, but it’s my backup plan in case LPG cylinders run short.”
However, the shortage has also pushed some people towards cheaper, non-standard options being sold in local markets. Small stove-cum-cylinder units, often without proper safety certification, are being sold by roadside vendors and small shops.
“I could not find any branded cylinder nearby, and LPG cylinders are not available so I bought a small cylinder with a stove from Nampally’s Troop Bazar. The shopkeeper said that many people are buying these stoves,” said Irfan, a customer. He further said that it might not be the safest option, but he had no other solution and had to buy the stove and cylinder.
Safety experts warn that many of these products are not certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and may not meet safety requirements. Improper valves, weak metal and poor sealing can increase the risk of gas leaks or accidents.
LPG distributors urged consumers to purchase only ISI-certified cylinders and equipment from authorised dealers, and have also said that the management is trying to bring back the booking portals.