Ajman Municipality to fix cooking gas prices

AJMAN — The Ajman Municipality would fix the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders next week in view of the large number of complaints from consumers that distribution companies are arbitrarily increasing the prices.

by

Afkar Ali Ahmed

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Published: Wed 20 Aug 2008, 1:18 AM

Last updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 5:07 PM

The municipality would impose a fine of Dh100,000 on LPG distribution companies that exchange cylinders of other companies in violation of a rule that bans such exchanges.

It also banned the sale of cooking gas cylinders to customers or companies outside the emirate.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Mohammed Ali Al Marzouqi, Head of the Licensing Section at the municipality, said the municipal inspectors, in coordination with the Civil Defence, will intensify campaigns targeting the LPG distribution companies from next week to control unnecessary price hikes and other violations.

He added the municipality had a meeting with the owners of the distribution companies and informed them about the new instructions.

Al Marzouqi said the municipality had received a large number of complaints about these firms increasing the prices of LPG cylinders now and then for no reason.

The municipality would bring this problem to an end next week by fixing the prices of the LPG cylinders based on their respective weights.

Bijit Mathew, manager of Al Injaz Gas, an LPG cylinder distributor in Ajman, said the hike in the prices of LPG has affected the distributors as well as the customers.

According to him, the prices of gas cylinders rose in Ajman due to the increase in the prices of oil and petroleum products. He said that the rise in the prices of LPG in the international market has reflected on the prices of cooking gas in Ajman and other emirates.

The truck drivers of the distribution companies are also clamouring for an increase in their salaries, Mathew added.

Mohammed Kamal, Manager of Al Bakht Gas, said that the drivers were demanding a salary hike because of the increasing cost of living in the region.

"Besides, the prices of diesel needed for LPG distributing trucks have also increased. The companies are forced to spend more money to operate and maintain the trucks. As it is, we get only a little profit as compared to the companies distributing other consumer products," he pointed out.

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com


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