SRINAGAR: The internet shutdown has hit LPG consumers in Valley who are unable to book the cylinder online besides receiving subsidies into their accounts from the last 74 days.
The consumers said that during the normal days, they were booking the cylinders online. But due to the internet shutdown from August 5, it has affected the online bookings, they said.
With phone services also down, many had opted to visit their nearest gas agency to book the cylinders. This also has led to many gas dealers offload cylinders on roads and sell them directly to consumers.
As per the official figures, 17,000 cylinders are distributed on daily basis.
While restoration of postpaid services did bring some relief to many who call their dealers, subsidy is yet to reach any customer for more than two months.
Rafiq Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar, said that he booked the cylinder more than a month ago at a cost of Rs 720 per cylinder, but the subsidy never reached into his account.
Rajo Begum of Buchpora told Kashmir reader that it is difficult for her to purchase additional cylinders as subsidy for earlier two LPG cylinders has not been credited into her account.
OMCs have been paying the subsidy to customers directly to keep tab on any pilferages.
As per the figures, the Hindustan Petroleum has six lakh fifty thousand (6.50 lakh) connections in the Kashmir valley in which three lakh (3 lakh) gas cylinders are refilled per month.
Indian oil Company has two lakh sixty-seven thousand (2.67 Lakh) connections across the Kashmir valley in which one lakh ten thousand (1.10 lakh) gas cylinders are refilled per month.
Bharat Petroleum has one lakh twenty thousand (1.20 Lakh) gas connections in Valley, in which sixty thousand (60 thousand) gas cylinders are refilled on monthly basis.
President of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Federation of Jammu and Kashmir, Sidarath Sharma said that due to the internet blockade, Kashmir based gas dealers are not able to update the details of consumers online, who have taken the gas cylinders from the dealers.
“That being the reason, consumers have not yet received subsidies into their accounts,” he added.
Jagmohan Singh Raina, a gas dealer and General Secretary of LPG Federation of J&K said that they are issuing the gas cylinders on time, and utilising the home delivery services so the consumers will not suffer.
“We are maintaining the records manually of all the gas cylinders which we distribute on daily basis. Due to the internet shutdown, we are not able to update the consumers numbers online, so the subsides could reach into their accounts,” he said.
He added that some of the agencies are sending the computer operators to the other states so they can update consumer details online and subsidy can be released into the accounts of consumers.
Director food, Civil Supplies and Consumers Affairs (FCS&CA) Department, Mohammd Qasim Wani said that due to the internet blackout, people are not able to receive the subsidies.
“Once internet is restored, the consumers will receive the subsidies,” he said.

ARIF RASHID