LPG Tragedies-avoidable-leds25dec2008
25 Dec 2008,
Sir,This is with reference to the gas fire tragedy on 20 dec 2008 which took all the three lives of a family I knew in Bovipalya.
Few of us know that , the gas well aware of the dangers. But they are making every customer pay an "insurance premium" to
offset their expenses of 5 to 10 lakhs in case of successful claims againt them. An insurance underwriter can tell how low is the risk factor we are being made to pay for.
When this was first introduced about 15 years ago, I successfully challenged them at the consumer forum on the grounds that the we were just lessees of the connection, the gas companies were the owners, so they had to bear the risk costs.
It was grossly unfair to collect crores from all consumers to pay out a few accidents, under the guise of biannual checking only
by the company authorized technicians.
They would replace the tubes whether they were damaged or not overcharging the customers by about 100 percent. This would generate crores for the companies who had to deal with the dealers claims for higher service charges.
The companies afraid of losing crores,represented by a legal luminary appealed and the case was decided in their favor as the customers were not represented by any able counsel despite approaching the then major consumer protection organization CERC etc.
The past few years these "regular checkups" have become sporadic or stopped altogether for reasons best known to the companies.
After every tragedy and furore nothing concrete gets done.
Fake agents -despite being brought to the notice of the companies- continue to hoodwink unwary majority.
would not a pair of half inch worm clamps costing less than 4 rupees in bulk on the cylinder head and stove would prevent an improperly fixed tube slipping out and leaking?
A tear is a rarer possibility in such tragedies.
The question publicly raised but so far unaddressed is it safe to submerge a leaking gas cylinder in water to slow down the leak?
Gas companies and investigators should urgently enlighten customers.
Sir,This is with reference to the gas fire tragedy on 20 dec 2008 which took all the three lives of a family I knew in Bovipalya.
Few of us know that , the gas well aware of the dangers. But they are making every customer pay an "insurance premium" to
offset their expenses of 5 to 10 lakhs in case of successful claims againt them. An insurance underwriter can tell how low is the risk factor we are being made to pay for.
When this was first introduced about 15 years ago, I successfully challenged them at the consumer forum on the grounds that the we were just lessees of the connection, the gas companies were the owners, so they had to bear the risk costs.
It was grossly unfair to collect crores from all consumers to pay out a few accidents, under the guise of biannual checking only
by the company authorized technicians.
They would replace the tubes whether they were damaged or not overcharging the customers by about 100 percent. This would generate crores for the companies who had to deal with the dealers claims for higher service charges.
The companies afraid of losing crores,represented by a legal luminary appealed and the case was decided in their favor as the customers were not represented by any able counsel despite approaching the then major consumer protection organization CERC etc.
The past few years these "regular checkups" have become sporadic or stopped altogether for reasons best known to the companies.
After every tragedy and furore nothing concrete gets done.
Fake agents -despite being brought to the notice of the companies- continue to hoodwink unwary majority.
would not a pair of half inch worm clamps costing less than 4 rupees in bulk on the cylinder head and stove would prevent an improperly fixed tube slipping out and leaking?
A tear is a rarer possibility in such tragedies.
The question publicly raised but so far unaddressed is it safe to submerge a leaking gas cylinder in water to slow down the leak?
Gas companies and investigators should urgently enlighten customers.
posted by m b nataraj | 9:36 AM
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