Oil companies join to solve LPG shortage

KOCHI: The HPCL, the BPCL and the IOC have decided to join together in a bid to overcome the shortage of cooking gas caused by the LPG tanker operators’ strike. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting between District Collector P I Sheik Pareeth and the representatives of oil companies. It has been decided that the HPCL refilling plant would function on Sundays also and Indane cylinders would be refilled at these plants. The BPCL has also decided to increase  production.While the BPCL and the HPCL have dedicated pipelines to carry LPG from the Kochi Refineries Ltd, the IOC depends on tanker lorries for supply. It was under this circumstances that it was decided to fill Indane cylinders at the HPCL plant.Pareeth said that the administration would give  necessary assistance to operate the plants overtime.Assistant Collector Bhandari Swagath Ranvirchand, District Supply Officer V Sundareshan, HPCL area sales manager Tajib Sait, BPCL executive sales manager Sonu C Babu and IOC area manager Jhanansambandam were present at the meeting.