Govt asked to make measures for relief to LPG consumers

ISLAMABAD, Oct 26 (APP): Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
Distributors Association has called upon the government to take
action against unethical business forces in the LPG market for
extending relief to consumers.
” Though, presently, things in LPG market are going in order
but at times, gas mafia pass on unbearable burden onto masses in
shape of illegal raises in prices of the commodity,” the
association’s secretary Arsalan Khokhar told Monday.
He said there was a need the government made effective remedy
to protect masses from inflationary impact of the rising trend in
prices of LPG, which was mostly used by the poor segment of the
society.
He was of the view such artificial trend was created through
monopolistic policies, which sometime were designed to undermining
the government’s welfare initiatives for the masses, he added.
He said the country’s current demand stood at around 1,600
tonnes of LPG per day while its demand in winters rose upto 3,000
daily.
He said the government needed to play role in covering the
shortfall by giving exemption from taxes on LPG import to ensure
adequate stocks for the speak demand in winter season.
He said the OGRA had also become a silent spectator and the
LPG policy providing for certain percent quota to marketing
companies to import the LPG was flouted.
He said most of the companies were yet to venture into
importing of LPG and supply and demand gap kept on widening in its
wake, he added.
Replying to a question, he said there was no immediate chances
of reduction in LPG prices, however, it could decrease in coming
days just by Rs 2 to 5 per kg.