ISLAMABAD While setting new Liquefied Petroleum Gas consumer price, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has warned stern action and revocation of licences of all those LPG Marketing Companies which are ostensibly involved in raising prices manifold during the holy month of Ramazan and determined and fixed new maximum consumer price of locally produced and imported LPG. In a recently issued press release, OGRA has said that as per prevailing policy of the federal government, the authority has determined and fixed the maximum reasonable consumer price of locally produced and imported LPG. According to the release, maximum reasonable consumer price of locally produced LPG is Rs944/11.8kg cylinder and maximum reasonable consumer price of imported LPG is Rs1121/11.8kg cylinder. Further, maximum reasonable consumer price for mix of locally produced and imported LPG is Rs976/11.8kg cylinder. The above-mentioned prices are applicable for all the urban and rural areas of the country except AJK, FATA & Gilgit-Baltistan where additional Rs30/11.8kg cylinder are permissible to each respective type of LPG due to higher transportation cost. Chairman All Pakistan LPG Distributors Association Abdul Hadi Khan said, Ogra as well as Petroleum Ministry should take action against local LPG producers cartel that is minting money from the consumers rather than fixing LPG price. He alleged that local producers were charging Rs55,000 per ton LPG whose actual cost was Rs8,000 to Rs10,000 per ton. He further said that due to cartel of local LPG producers, importers were at risk. LPG import in current scenario is at complete risk and what will happen to LPG importer if one local LPG producer suddenly reduces the prices, he said adding, We were importing LPG with complete risk. At present, Parco is shut down due to floods and Dhodhak field has also suspended LPG supply due to floods. Sources in the market have confirmed that monitoring/inspection teams of the Authority have been visiting markets in different cities of the country to check consumer prices and Show Cause Notices have been issued to the LPG marketing companies who have been found overcharging and stern actions leading to hefty fines and revocation of their licenses will be taken against the companies proved to be guilty. Furthermore, it has also been learned that all the LPG marketing companies have been strictly advised to follow the prices fixed by the Authority and refrain from charging more than that. Similarly, all provincial governments have been advised to ensure that no company/distributor be allowed to charge more than the reasonable price determined and fixed by the Authority. Here, it is important to mention that through this press release the Authority is again directing LPG marketing companies to keep their LPG consumer prices within the reasonable limit determined by the Authority failing which strict punitive action will be taken against them which may lead to imposition of hefty fine and/or revocation of their licence for marketing of LPG. OGRA further requests the LPG consumers and the general public not to pay higher price for their LPG and insist on its provision within the price limit given by the Authority and in case of demand for higher charges please inform/complain to the Authority at the given address and phone/fax numbers with complete information so that the Authority can take strict action against the defaulter companies/distributors. OGRA has taken notice of TheNation Story and Editorial as well.