UAE | General

RAK authority warns unscrupulous gas dealers

The Department of Economic Development here has warned gas distributors that hefty fines will be imposed on those who do not stick to this month's price list which saw a decrease in the cooking gas prices by almost 15 per cent.

  • By Nasouh Nazzal, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 23:50 November 16, 2008
  • Gulf News

Ras Al Khaimah The Department of Economic Development here has warned gas distributors that hefty fines will be imposed on those who do not stick to this month's price list which saw a decrease in the cooking gas prices by almost 15 per cent.

The November's gas price list announced that the normal cooking gas cylinder (22kg) will be sold in Ras Al Khaimah for Dh80 till December 11, forcing the gas distributers to sell the cylinder Dh14 less than October's list. The normal cooking gas cylinder however is still sold for Dh90 to Dh95.

A senior official at the department said that distributors who sell the gas cylinders at more than Dh80 are in direct violation to the emirate's laws and once caught or reported will be heavily punished.

He added that the dealers should stick to the price list under any circumstances, adding that the list is released monthly after extensive meetings with the emirate's gas filling companies and that the dealers do not have the right to meddle with the prices.

He added that copies of the monthly price lists are distributed to the dealers once released with strict instructions to adhere to these prices. He explained that the margin for their profit is taken into consideration and that they receive the gas cylinders almost Dh5 Dh7 less from the producing companies to deliver the cylinders at the houses of the customers.

Many complaints

The Department of Economic Development announced that the smaller cylinder (11kg) will be available for Dh40 whereas its October price was Dh47 and the bigger cylinder (44kg) will be sold for Dh160 whereas its October price was Dh 188.

The official said that the October gas price list has witnessed a drop compared to the September price list, where the normal cooking gas cylinder (22kg) was Dh95; the price of the smaller cylinder (11kg) was Dh48 and the price of the bigger cylinder (44kg) was Dh190.

The department has received scores of complaints from customers about the high prices of the cooking gas, complaining that the gas distributors do not stick to the gas price list.

The customers said that the dealers ask them for Dh90 to Dh95 per cylinder and that the dealers reach them at home after they finalise the deal over the phone, telling them that there was no use of negotiating the price at their door steps.

The official stressed that the department has been aware about the violations on the part of the gas distributors where the department's inspectors have been instructed to tackle such cases whenever they receive complaints from the public.

The official said that the attitude of the customers who do not lodge complaints against the greedy distributors encourages these dealers to carry on with their violations.

The department has urged the public to contact phone nos 8007253266 or 07/2221722 to file their complaints which will be taken seriously and instantly.

The official stressed that the department cannot take any legal measures against violating distributors unless the inspectors have complaints lodged against the violators.

Normal cooking gas cylinder (22 kg) will be sold in Ras Al Khaimah for Dh80 till December 11, i.e. Dh14 less than that on October's list

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