HYDERABAD: The LPG dealers in Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh have extended support to the nation-wide agitation programmes announced by the Federation of LPG Distributors of India (FLDI) from November to protest the Centre ignoring safety issues in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), the flagship programme of the NDA government, to provide free domestic LPG connection to poor families.
The LPG dealers have threatened to stop gas cylinder supplies unless the Centre and state governments address safety issues. They said 90 per cent of the households of poor families do not have a raised platform to keep the stove and they were placing the stove on the ground due to which frequent accidents were occurring for which dealers are being blamed and booked.
They said BPL households were not suitable for LPG connections since they lack awareness on their proper usage besides poor ventilation and illiteracy. FLDI president P. Venkateshwar Rao said, “The gas cylinder being provided under PMUY should have a gas stove fixed over it. It would obviate the need for a raised platform for the stove.” He said the Centre should consider providing 5-kg cylinders to the poor instead of the existing 14.2-kg which they are finding it difficult to afford.
