Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: Demands to streamline the LPG distribution process in Canacona have gained momentum, with Congress leaders submitting a memorandum to the Deputy Collector highlighting hardships faced by residents due to long queues and limited supply. The memorandum calls for measures to ensure hassle-free distribution of LPG cylinders and the appointment of an additional distributor to meet rising domestic and commercial demand in the taluka.
Congress leader Janardhan Bhandari said long queues are regularly seen outside the lone distributor, M/s Prabhudesai Gas Service at Chaudi, causing mental stress to consumers. He added that concerns over the West Asia war situation and rising cylinder prices have further fuelled panic among the public.
The memorandum pointed out that despite Canacona being geographically vast, the taluka continues to depend on a single LPG agency, resulting in difficulties in distribution. The areas serviced by M/s Prabhudesai Gas Service include Canacona Municipal area, Loliem-Polem, Poinguinim, Cotigao, Gaondongrim, Shristhal, Agonda, Cola and Paddi-Barcem panchayats, extending up to Godyavoll in Quepem taluka.
According to the memorandum, the agency caters to around 16,000 domestic customers requiring over 8,000 cylinders monthly, while commercial consumers include about 3,500 users of 19-kg cylinders and around 125 users of 47-kg cylinders. The leaders stated that the present stock is inadequate to meet the growing demand.
The delegation also highlighted that a large section of the population in Canacona belongs to SC/ST communities and many are not familiar with mobile-based booking systems such as WhatsApp, SMS/IVRS, mobile apps or online portals. As a result, they visit the agency in person, leading to overcrowding and long waiting hours.
It was further alleged that the existing staff is unable to handle the rush, leading to frequent verbal altercations. The memorandum also mentioned instances of women fainting after standing in queues for long hours. The delegation demanded that the administration deploy additional staff temporarily to manage crowds and streamline distribution.
The memorandum further stated that the agency should be held responsible for any untoward incident arising from overcrowding and urged the government to appoint an additional LPG distributor in Canacona to avoid future inconvenience.
Among those present were Janardhan S. Bhandari, former Congress candidate for Canacona, District President South Goa GPYC Pralay Bhagat, CMC Councillor Ramakant Naik Gaonkar, Navadeep Faldessai, Sidharth Gayak, Kiran Zore, Deepak Naik, Avlion Fernandes, Nitesh Pujari, Sanddep Zore, Vithal Zore and Laximan Bhavdan, among others.
