30/09/2013

A cylinder only if you buy a stove - Times Of India

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You are here: Home > Collections > Gas Cylinder

A cylinder only if you buy a stove

Jeev a , TNN Mar 29, 2009, 01.54am IST

CHENNAI: Public sector oil companies have been directing LPG distributors not to force customers to buy gas stoves or other household items while providing a new or additional gas cylinder. However, not many distributors are following the instruction. LPG customers in several parts of Chennai complain that the distributing agencies force them to buy gas stoves, pressure cookers or mixers when new gas connections or additional cylinders are sought.

Though officials in Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum say that the agencies are supposed to collect less than Rs 2,000, which includes the refundable deposit and other charges for a new gas connection or an additional cylinder, customers are compelled to buy other kitchenware items and pay Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000.
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"Last month when I approached an agency for an additional cylinder, I was asked to buy a pressure cooker also and pay Rs 3,500. When I told them that I already had a cooker at home, they refused to provide me an additional cylinder,'' said S Saraswathi, a resident of Avadi. Residents in Triplicane, Ashok Nagar, Anna Nagar, Pattabiram and Pammal too had similar complaints. The unfair trade practice of LPG agencies was discussed in a meeting organised by the State Consumer Protection department with voluntary consumer organisations two months ago. A senior IOC official said that gas agencies were asked to sell a specially designed energy-efficient gas stove only if customers wanted it. "Whenever we receive complaints that customers have been compelled to buy, we instruct them not to do it,'' the official said. Officials in HPCL and BPCL also confirmed that buying kitchenware items was not mandatory to get a new connection or an additional cylinder. Civil supplies and consumer protection department commissioner K Rajaraman said the department had received similar complaints. "This sort of trade practice is illegal as per the Consumer Protection Act and is a violation of the disciplinary guidelines of oil companies. We have asked oil companies to take strict action against the erring agencies,'' he said. jeeva.pugazvendan@timesgroup.com

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A cylinder only if you buy a stove - Times Of India

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