Strange how things differ from country to country.... In Ireland and the UK one simply goes to the nearest supplier and buys a tank of gas. In India it is a little different!
I went to the local Indane gas supply board or whatever it is. I paid a fee of about 1500 and registered for an application to be supplied with gas. I was told to wait three months for a letter! I told them I needed gas now! In the meantime, my well meaning then landlord said he would get me gas from "somewhere else!" He did - the same day. He made it sound like a cloak and dagger act, happily charging me also for the empty tank he had earlier said he wold loan me(and kept the tank when I left his premises)! Almost three months to the day I got the letter....telling me I had been accepted for a 'gas connection' and would I please come down to the office. I went. After a few minutes of making cell calls, the girl returned and told me that they wouldn't give gas contract to a foreigner - even a foreigner with a residence permit! I asked why then had I received the letter of acceptance at all and she shrugged. I asked for my 1500 back as I had not been accepted....silly statement to make really as I left empty handed. Outside the office yet another or should I say 4 men who were employees of the company, offered to bring me gas now if I wanted it and just pay about 80 rupees more for the tank. So for almost a year now I have been enjoying the pleasures of cooking by gas and buy it where about 60% of India buys it....off the streets!
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The Gas Story
Started by
Guest_Shanthi_*
, Aug 31 2006 04:14 AM
4 replies to this topic
#2
H.Nick
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Posted 31 August 2006 - 03:51 PM
I think a whole book could be written about gas connections.
Apparantly they won't give one now unless one has a ration book. I got mine before they started that.
We'll see what happens when I move house and have to transfer the 'connection' to a different supplier.
TBH it wouldn't break us if we did have to buy non-government gas: one cylinder lasts us nearly five months.
But if we had a house-full of kids to cook for? Eeeeek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Apparantly they won't give one now unless one has a ration book. I got mine before they started that.
We'll see what happens when I move house and have to transfer the 'connection' to a different supplier.
TBH it wouldn't break us if we did have to buy non-government gas: one cylinder lasts us nearly five months.
But if we had a house-full of kids to cook for? Eeeeek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#3
john.sw
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Posted 31 August 2006 - 04:16 PM
My gas comes from a private company, ELF.
Had I waited a few months I could have got it a bit cheaper from a state controlled supplier, but I am happy to pay a bit more and get a reasonable service without all the red tape.
All I had to do was fill in a form, pay a connection fee and pay for a bottle of gas and the pressure valve.
I got my gas next day!
Had I waited a few months I could have got it a bit cheaper from a state controlled supplier, but I am happy to pay a bit more and get a reasonable service without all the red tape.
All I had to do was fill in a form, pay a connection fee and pay for a bottle of gas and the pressure valve.
I got my gas next day!
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#4
H.Nick
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Posted 31 August 2006 - 10:26 PM
Well, actually, that is almost exactly what we did for our government gas! Except I don't think we filled in any forms! The guy just entered the details on his computer.
Oh, we did have to buy our stove from them: that got us around the "ten day waiting list" and they offered to deliver the same afternoon!
A Rs1500 "bribe" isn't so bad when you get a "free" stove for it
Oh, we did have to buy our stove from them: that got us around the "ten day waiting list" and they offered to deliver the same afternoon!
A Rs1500 "bribe" isn't so bad when you get a "free" stove for it
Edited by priya, 01 September 2006 - 12:04 PM.
#5
Poiple Shadow
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Posted 01 September 2006 - 09:01 AM
My story.. Dare I say it was quite straight forward, just went to my local gas merchant (had to take all the right forms (Residents permit, lease agreement (I think), but got it there and then, As we had already bought a stove was a little more difficult to not loose out as the government places are subsidised and buying (normally a gas stove) makes up for some of it.. We ended up getting something else instead, paid the standard fee, since then we've also applied for a second bottle (you can have two on each gas book), but obviously we do lots of cooking due to the charity. If we want any more then we will have to apply for a second gas book.
