Dealers oppose forced sale of commercial LPG by oil companies

Jaipur: LPG distributors in the state have accused Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) of forced billing and sale of 19-kg and 5-kg FTL commercial cylinders despite shortage in domestic LPG supply.

Dealers said consumers in rural areas are facing waiting periods of 10 to 15 days for domestic cylinder delivery, while customers in cities are also waiting nearly a week for refills.

The LPG Distributors Federation of Rajasthan, in a representation submitted to state-level officials of OMCs, alleged that field officers are manipulating distributors’ orders and forcing supplies of commercial cylinders even when distributors already have adequate stock.

Dealers questioned why companies are aggressively pushing commercial LPG sales instead of addressing domestic demand.

According to the federation, commercial LPG cylinders effectively cost around Rs 160 per kg, while domestic LPG is available at nearly Rs 65 per kg. Dealers said the forced billing of higher-priced commercial cylinders is increasing their financial burden at a time when domestic supplies are already constrained.

The distributors also raised objections over the alleged forced selling of “Suraksha” safety hoses. They said through replacing the safety hose is required after five years, it is not mandatory for consumers to purchase company-branded products when cheaper alternatives are available in the open market.

The federation stated that similar hoses are available in the market for around Rs 85, whereas distributors are allegedly forced to procure them from the OMCs and sell at about Rs 190.

Dealers questioned why OMCs are pushing additional stock of safety hoses when distributors are already holding large inventories. The representation further alleged that some companies are directly billing and dispatching safety hoses without any demand from distributors.