FDO seeks count of consumers to study demand-supply ratio

After repeated complaints of gas shortage by citizens,the Food Distribution Office has asked oil companies to provide the latest figures on consumers to understand the equation of demand and supply in the city.

After repeated complaints of gas shortage by citizens,the Food Distribution Office (FDO) has asked oil companies to provide the latest figures on consumers to understand the equation of demand and supply in the city. The companies will give the final figure at a meeting on September 22.

In the last four months,the FDO has seized 113 gas cylinders and filed 20 FIRs. The oil companies said they are providing the required supply to the city but various raids have found many cases of unauthorised usage of cylinders.

It is our effort to make people understand that the shortage is due to rise in black marketing of cylinders. Last week,we had seized seven cylinders and we are sure that the figures will go up, said city food distribution officer Dnyaneshwar Jawanjal.

The FDO said there are many cases of residential places running catering business and using more than the usual supply of gas cylinder. Although it would be practically impossible to check on such households,we will welcome aware citizens to report to the FDO regarding this, said Jawanjal.

When contacted,oil company spokespersons said they were giving the usual supply. The shortage is superficial, said an official.

Meanwhile,chairman of All India LPG Federation,Maharashtra,Vijay Bhave said the end users in the commercial establishments should also face suspension of license just like gas agencies. With 58 gas agencies in the city,he said the government should do a rethink on the huge price difference between domestic gas cylinder and commercial cylinder.

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