43 gas agencies launched in Idukki

THOUPUZHA: The people in Idukki, reeling under severe LPG shortage, are a relieved lot as 43 new gas agencies started functioning in the district on Wednesday. The first gas agency was launched under the Rajiv Gandhi Gramin LPG Vitharana Yojana by P T Thomas MP at a function at Pambadumpara.The huge LPG backlog in the district had resulted in severe shortage.In some cases, people had to wait for even six months to get the cylinders refilled, he said.Some agencies handle around 10,000 consumers in their area and they find it difficult to reach out to all the customers in a specified time.He said there could be cases of corruption leading to the huge backlog, which would be looked into.Under the new scheme, people will have to collect the cylinders by themselves, the MP said.“If the LPG shortage was not addressed, people would have started depending on forest wood for cooking purposes,” Thomas said.“The scheme, being introduced at an all-India level, will be a great relief to the people,” he said.The places where the scheme has been introduced include Bison Valley, Chinnakanal, Kokkayar, Vannapuram, Chackupalam, Konnathady, Marayur, Alakode, Velliyamattam, Arakulam, Senapathi, Nedungandam, Rajakumari, Pothanikad, Pambadumpara, Kuttampuzha, Vandanmedu, Erattayar, Edavetti and Purapuzha among others.Thomas said that the gas agencies were allotted in a transparent manner.“The applications of thirty people, who had passed Plus Two were considered on the basis of their marks.Later, lots were drawn to avoid any irregularities.The monopoly of the LPG agencies would be broken once the scheme is implemented successfully,” he said.Pambadumpara grama panchayat president Srimandiram Sasi Kumar presided over the function.Nedumkandam block pancahayat member Mathukutty Kochuprackal and Vinod Kumar, senior regional manager, HPCL, spoke on the occasion.The LPG godown was inaugurated by Nedumkandam block panchayat president Moly Michael.Shyamala Vishwanathan, president, Nedumkandam grama pancahayat, offered felicitations.