A government inspection of LPG bottling units across Karnataka has found that 25% of the cylinders checked contained less gas than the quantity declared on the cylinder.
The inspection was carried out on September 24 under Mission Nikhara, an initiative aimed at ensuring accurate measurements and protecting consumers from short supply.
1,530 LPG Cylinders Weighed
The Legal Metrology Department inspected 1,530 filled LPG cylinders across 17 operational bottling units in Karnataka.
Of these, 382 cylinders, or 25%, contained less gas than the declared quantity.
However, the department clarified that the shortage in these cylinders was still within the legally permitted error limit. Therefore, the finding does not mean that all 382 cylinders were illegally underfilled.
Another 205 cylinders, representing 13.4% of the total, contained exactly the declared quantity.
Interestingly, 943 cylinders, or 61.6%, contained more gas than the declared quantity.
Three Cases Registered, Rs 79,000 Fine Collected
The inspection resulted in three cases being registered by the Legal Metrology Department.
Authorities also collected a total of Rs 79,000 in fines during the enforcement drive.
The inspection covered bottling facilities operated by major oil companies as well as private LPG suppliers.
Consumers Can Ask For Their Cylinder To Be Weighed
The findings have also highlighted an important consumer right.
Customers can ask delivery personnel to weigh an LPG cylinder before accepting it. LPG distributors and marketing companies are required to provide delivery personnel with weighing equipment for this purpose.
Consumers who believe they have received an underweight cylinder can therefore request a weight check at the time of delivery.
The state government has urged consumers to make use of this facility rather than accepting cylinders without checking when they have concerns about the quantity.
What Is The Permissible Error?
LPG cylinders are allowed a specific maximum permissible error because the filling process cannot always produce exactly the same weight.
For a 5-kg cylinder, the maximum permissible error is 150 grams. For a 14.2-kg cylinder, the limit is 300 grams, while the permissible error for a 19-kg cylinder is 380 grams.
The 382 cylinders identified during the Karnataka inspection were reportedly within these prescribed limits.
More Inspections Expected
The Karnataka government has indicated that regular inspections will continue as part of Mission Nikhara.
The broader objective is to ensure that measurement standards are followed throughout the supply chain and that consumers receive the quantity they are entitled to.
For households, the inspection also serves as a reminder that checking the cylinder’s weight at delivery is an available consumer safeguard.
Summary
A Karnataka government inspection found that 382 of 1,530 LPG cylinders checked, or 25%, contained less gas than the declared quantity. However, authorities said the shortage remained within the legally permissible error limits. The inspection covered 17 bottling units and resulted in three cases and Rs 79,000 in fines. Consumers can ask delivery personnel to weigh cylinders before accepting them.