Considering the increasing backlog in various gas agencies of Dehradun, the Dehradun district magistrate BVRC Purushottam has directed the agency officials to supply cylinders to their customers on first come, first-served basis.
With the end of the financial year approaching nearer, customers are trying to secure their quota of subsidised cylinders before March 31 which has increased the backlog by around 30 per cent in most of the gas agencies in the district.
However, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Dehradun area deputy manager Dhirendra Kumar said that following the direction of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, gas agencies have been directed to supply one subsidised cylinder to their customer each month from April, 2014. Customers who need a second cylinder in a month will have to purchase non-subsidised cylinder form the agency.
He further said that customers’ hurry to procure this financial year’s quota of subsidised cylinders had increased backlog in various gas agencies in the district. Considering this, agencies have been directed to provide cylinder first to customers who booked their refill in January and February apart from which, they need to follow first come first serve system with customers who have booked their refill in March,he added.
Customers could be seen booking cylinders or procuring refills on Wednesday morning. At Sahkarita Indane Gas Agency, Rajpur Road, a customer had to return home at 3 pm on Wednesday as the official said that refills are booked only during morning hours. The agency has a backlog of about 1500-2000 cylinders.
Doon lPG Distributors’ Association (DlPGDA) president and Valley Gas Agency owner Chamanlal said , “We have issued around 12 000 gas connections and currently we have a backlog of over 2000 cylinders. This backlog is almost same for all agencies across the city,” he added.