Underweight LPG Cylinders A New Offshoot Of Gas Shortage
1 April 2026 12:14 AM IST1 April 2026 12:14 AM IST
Legal Metrology department has booked 17 cases
Chefs at a hotel resort to cooking with firewood amid an ongoing shortage of commercial LPG cylinders near Peddawaltair junction in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. (Photo: P Narasimha Murthy)
KAKINADA: While shortage of gas has become a common phenomenon, reports have started emerging of underweight cylinders being delivered to both domestic and commercial consumers.
However, the recipients are not coming forward to lodge complaints. They consider themselves fortunate for at least receiving the gas. It remains unclear whether the discrepancy in quantity is occurring at the dealers’ end, at the level of delivery personnel, or at the bottling level.
Following numerous complaints, the Legal Metrology department carried out surprise inspections at the gas warehouses in Kakinada, East Godavari and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema districts and discovered cases of cylinders being underweight.
Department officials have booked 17 cases, including three related to non-certified weighing machines, from March 1 to March 31, after war began in West Asian countries on February 28. Significantly the total cases booked during the financial year 2025–26 are 25.
Companies that supply gas in these districts are HPCL, BPCL and IOL. They make supplies to 45 gas dealers in Kakinada district, 37 in Konaseema, and 27 in East Godavari district.
Legal Metrology department deputy controller N. Janardhana Rao told Deccan Chronicle that apart from booking 17 cases, they have imposed a fine of ₹25,000 each. As per law, the depreciation can be up to 150 grams for 14.2 kilos of domestic cylinder and 1 per cent in commercial gas cylinders. If the depreciation is beyond the permissible levels, cases can be booked against the respective dealers.
Janardhana Rao said that during their raids, officials found discrepancies of 170 grams to 2.1 kilos in 14.2 kilos of domestic cylinders, which is unacceptable. He advised consumers to weigh the quantity of the gas when the cylinder is brought by the delivered person, who is mandated to carry a spring balance.
The deputy controller said cases can be booked in case the delivery persons do not carry the spring balance equipment along with them. He pointed out that consumers can lodge complaints on toll free numbers 1967, 1100 or the assistant controllers at 93981 59015 (Kakinada) and 93981 53671 (East Godavari and Konaseema districts).
It is learnt that the Legal Metrology department is unable to sufficiently supervise the gas cylinder warehouses, as it is understaffed. Only 15 personnel are available when the number of posts sanctioned to erstwhile East Godavari district is 33.
Following numerous complaints, the Legal Metrology department carried out surprise inspections at the gas warehouses in Kakinada, East Godavari and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema districts and discovered cases of cylinders being underweight.
Department officials have booked 17 cases, including three related to non-certified weighing machines, from March 1 to March 31, after war began in West Asian countries on February 28. Significantly the total cases booked during the financial year 2025–26 are 25.
Companies that supply gas in these districts are HPCL, BPCL and IOL. They make supplies to 45 gas dealers in Kakinada district, 37 in Konaseema, and 27 in East Godavari district.
Legal Metrology department deputy controller N. Janardhana Rao told Deccan Chronicle that apart from booking 17 cases, they have imposed a fine of ₹25,000 each. As per law, the depreciation can be up to 150 grams for 14.2 kilos of domestic cylinder and 1 per cent in commercial gas cylinders. If the depreciation is beyond the permissible levels, cases can be booked against the respective dealers.
Janardhana Rao said that during their raids, officials found discrepancies of 170 grams to 2.1 kilos in 14.2 kilos of domestic cylinders, which is unacceptable. He advised consumers to weigh the quantity of the gas when the cylinder is brought by the delivered person, who is mandated to carry a spring balance.
The deputy controller said cases can be booked in case the delivery persons do not carry the spring balance equipment along with them. He pointed out that consumers can lodge complaints on toll free numbers 1967, 1100 or the assistant controllers at 93981 59015 (Kakinada) and 93981 53671 (East Godavari and Konaseema districts).
It is learnt that the Legal Metrology department is unable to sufficiently supervise the gas cylinder warehouses, as it is understaffed. Only 15 personnel are available when the number of posts sanctioned to erstwhile East Godavari district is 33.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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