... smells like L.P.G

There’s a ‘eureka moment’ in every new finding that one makes or stumbles upon. Only, in cases like this, we can only wish that the discovery was made much earlier than later so that the end game does not leave matters so irreparably unsettled in the most unjust manner.


The truth in the LPG con affair (officially established by the RAA findings)staring point-blank at every collective faces is as unacceptable as it has come out to be. The concluding decision is just  one and the only one, every single individual will not (or cannot) get their dues paid. So there it is, 'victims,' all shall remain.


The LPG consumers or customers (let’s just say most of all of the Bhutanese households) availing the service from the three Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) distributors have to silently but grudgingly accept that for years till date, they have willingly assisted in imposing unwarranted costs on themselves in varied situations of daily life.


The perfect rip-off
For days to come to come, it will certainly be hard to live it down. In every passing contemplative frame of mind, when we go connecting the dots, realization will dawn repeatedly that  all of us willingly played a highly cooperative role of literally handing over the prize.

Just-desserts
It appears as of now, the only closure, consumers can draw as justice or a form of consolation in this case is, the trade authorities will be asked to recover these ‘extra’ charges from the three distributors who had collected Nu 29.11 million in the period that is, years 1999 through 2014.


For a ‘process’ that ran smoothly and entirely unchecked for about close to two decades, this recovery process (should it happen) will be… very long.

Kudos to the NC-RAA move
Let’s not also forget to applaud the country’s house of review, the National Council that made public the whole LPG ensemble (let's call it facade, actually) after it asked the audit authority to undertake an assessment of the said industry.



Fringe benefits
It is a fortuitous turn of events for the general population’s benefit that the audit exercise also chanced upon the expired or outdated LPG cylinders. These dangerously outdated gas cylinders were allowed to remain in circulation even after they had passed their usefulness by years.

The risks involved in employing such cylinders were explained by concerned officials on national TV BBS, following the public knowledge of the situation.


Best-case-scenario of a worst-case-situation
If one can call it any consolation, a bright side to this dim state of affairs, it is apparent that the business in question has become transparent. And it will hopefully stay that way.

In this, consumers will from here on, definitely stay reminded to be in the most alert frame of minds and on the lookout.



Reflective Retrospection
The LPG is as common as it gets, predominantly among the more humble households in the country and therefore any convenience ensured in this line of service is as solidly confirming the most relevant help delivered.

Same can be believed the other way round!

Published as Business Bhutan Editorial on May 23, 2015