Litro Gas Causes Stir In Market With - Hybrid Cylinder

Litro Gas Lanka Ltd has misled the consumer by selling the same form of old cylinder claiming to be more efficient, but it contains a reduced volume of gas Minister Bandula Gunawardena said in parliament recently that he cannot take action against the price hike as it is up to the Gas Company to take decisions regarding pricing In order to give a relief to Litro Gas Lanka Ltd, the Finance Ministry recently reduced the Ports Authority Levy imposed on LPG

- Nirmala Kannangara

Startling revelations have surfaced as to how the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the Consumer Affairs Authority-the apex government institution with the mandate to protect consumer interest- have been ignorant or turned a blind eye to the price increase of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) by Litro Gas Lanka Ltd.

Although these two authorities maintain that they cannot take action against Litro Gas applying the Consumer Affairs Act for introducing a new ‘pack’ for a higher price, the Daily Mirror wishes to expose the government’s questionable move on public interest as Litro Gas consumers complain of an unavailability of 12.5kg cylinders at Litro Gas agents.

At a meeting held on April 27, 2021 with the State Minister of Co-operative Service, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Litro Gas Lanka Ltd Chairman the latter has assured that 12.5kg cylinders are available in the market, except at any of the gas distributors along the High-Level Road.

“Only the new 18-litre cylinder is sent to us, but not the old 12.5kg cylinder. But we have enough of 2.3kg and 5kg in stock,” the distributors told this newspaper.

A very reliable senior official at the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) on conditions of anonymity told this newspaper that the authority can take legal action against Litro Gas for misleading the consumers by introducing a gas cylinder where less gas is filled into the old 12.5kg gas cylinder claiming that clients can save money as a result. According to sources Litro Gas Lanka Ltd has misled the consumer by selling the same form of old cylinder claiming to be more efficient, but it contains reduced volume of gas.