Amidst the increasing tension in the Middle East and supply chain problems, people’s concern about the availability of LPG in the country is increasing. In such a situation, due to fear, many people think of storing more gas cylinders at home than necessary. But this step can not only be dangerous but can also be considered a legal offense. The government and oil companies have made strict rules regarding LPG connection and cylinder keeping, which is important for every consumer to follow.
One house, one connection rule
In India, the rule of one house, one connection generally applies regarding LPG connections. That is, only one LPG connection per household or one kitchen address is considered valid. Companies providing domestic gas connections in the country include Indane Gas of Indian Oil Corporation, HP Gas of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and Bharat Gas of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited.
If a consumer already has a connection with a company, then taking a connection from another company at the same address is considered against the rules. However, if consumers wish, they can change their connection to Double Cylinder Connection (DBC), in which two cylinders are allowed on the same connection.
How many cylinders is it legal to keep in the house?
It is generally considered normal for domestic consumers to have two cylinders on one connection. Under this, one cylinder remains in use and the other can be kept as reserve. According to the rules, a consumer can take a maximum of 15 domestic cylinders in a year.
If a person collects more cylinders than required without valid permission or stores more than 40 kg of LPG, it can be considered as hoarding. In such a situation the administration can take action.
Strict action may be taken against hoarding
In case of storing more gas cylinders than required, action can be quite strict. If any case of illegal possession of cylinder or black marketing comes to light, then his gas connection can be canceled and heavy fine can also be imposed.
In serious cases, this case is considered a crime under the Essential Commodities Act, in which the accused can be sentenced to jail for 3 months to 7 years.
Safety rules for keeping cylinders
From safety point of view, it is important to keep the LPG cylinder properly. The cylinder should always be kept upright in a ventilated place. If there are two cylinders in the house, one should avoid placing them on top of each other. The government and gas companies are appealing to consumers to avoid panic booking or storing more cylinders than necessary. If every person uses gas as per his need, then there will be no unnecessary pressure on the supply system.