Staff Report
ISLAMABAD:
Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has asked all the chief secretaries to ensure notified Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices at the premises of LPG storage & filling plants and authorised distributors though local administration.
As per details, OGRA has fixed LPG price at Rs 160 per kilogram for July 2021 while the price of the LPG has witnessed hike by Rs 10 per kilogram within 24 hours.
Under the provision of Section 29 of OGRA Ordinance 2002, OGRA authorised the Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of all the provincial governments to take action against illegal LPG activities including decanting of LPG (i-e filling of LPG from one cylinder to another cylinder) by any person including authorised dealers of LPG marketing companies), manufacturing and sale of LPG equipment/cylinders manufactured by illegal man dealers of LPG manufacturers other than OGRA’s pre-qualified authorised manufacturers of LPG equipment, filling of LPG in LPG cylinders/tanks installed on motor cycles, scooters and public service vehicles i-e three wheelers, buses, coaches and wagons, over pricing/less filling of LPG at the premises of LPG storage and filling plants and authorised LPG distributors against OGRA’s notified LPG prices and sale of LPG by unauthorised LPG dealers/decanters for a further period of three years till 24-02-2024.
Chairman LPG Distributors Association, Irfan Khokhar said that a convention has been called on 18th July 2021 in Lahore against the un-justified LPG price hike without OGRA notification. He said that a country-wide protest strike will be held on 31st July 2021 and the convention will finalize the program of a long march to Gujranwala. He said a road march will be also conducted after the said convention in Lahore against LPG price hike and the low-quality cylinder of LPG. OGRA should take action against the illegal price hike and profiteering in LPG sector while LPG Distribution Association will fully support the OGRA in this regard, said Irfan Khokhar.
Imran Ghaznavi, OGRA spokesman, said anyone who sells LPG higher than notified price will be dealt according to law. Chief Secretaries have been informed to take action. He said that nobody can sell the LPG at above price than to the notified price by OGRA. He said OGRA while taking notice of LPG price hike has requested Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgat-Baltistan, Kyber Pakhtunkhwa and Chief Commissioner of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to ensure notified Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices at the premises of LPG storage & filling plants and authorised distributors though local administration and initiate action against the profiteers under LPG (Production &Distribution) Rules 2021, Petroleum Products (Petroleum Levy) Ordinance 1961, Price and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act 1977 and any other applicable laws in the best interest of the general public.
Under Rule 18(3) of LPG (Production & Distribution) Rules 2021, OGRA has to regulate the notified price with the help of local administration.
Earlier, on June 10, 2021, NEPRA through a letter to all the chief secretaries had granted authorisation to the provincial governments under Section 29 of OGRA Ordinance 2002 regarding illegal LPG activities.
On June 30, 2021, OGRA notified Rs 1,889.57 per 11.8-kilogram cylinder as final LPG consumers price which became effective from July 01,2021.
