People of Gelegphu stand in a queue with their empty liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders from as early as five in the morning. They brave the heat in the never-ending line to deposit their empty cylinder and take home a coupon.
Beginning of this year, residents of Gelegphu started feeling the pinch of LPG cylinders shortage. The supplying agent introduced a coupon system to the public for equal distribution of LPG cylinders and to reduce overcrowding starting February this year. Coupons for the arrival of refilled LPG cylinders were issued for three days in advance where residents have to surrender their empty cylinders and next time when they come to collect the refilled cylinders, they produce the coupon.
The agent will announce the issue of coupons through the local channel and people used to come for three days in small numbers but not yesterday. Hundreds of people rushed to the distributor agent at early hours of five to deposit their empty cylinder and in return, they were issued tokens for collecting refilled cylinder, which is due for arrival on 18th of this month.
“We are out here from six in the morning today. We are asked to be in line but people started rushing by pushing each other here and there,” complained Pema Sherab, a resident of Gelegphu.
People are also complaining about the failure of the coupon system.
“I have never experienced such an incident in my life. No systematic system of coupon distribution,” added Sangay Wangmo, from the same town.
“I am not sure whether I could manage or not because we have to rush for gas. It has become very difficult to refill cylinder these days,” said Nim Dorji, also from Gelegphu.
LPG supply agent manager said that they informed the public through the local channel that they will collect empty cylinders from 13th till 15th of this month for issuing token for the arrival of 600 filled cylinders on 18th of this month. People from various parts of Sarpang dzongkhag came all at once. The agent had to distribute an additional 600 coupons for cylinders which will come on 25th of this month. Police personnel at the site had a difficult time to control the crowd rushing for token.
“Actually we kept three days time for token distribution but people came all at once. Last time we could distribute normally,” Bikash from Tashi Commercial LPG distributor said.
LPG Distributors in Gelegphu also caters to six central dzongkhag. Tashi Commercial LPG Distributor in Gelegphu receives 120 metric ton of LPG every month.
