An LPG connection, registered in the name of late politician Paritala Ravi, is still actively being used without being transferred to a nominee. Cylinders are still being delivered though everyone knows he is dead. At the same time, VIPs in the city have been using very few LPG cylinders compared to their counterparts elsewhere in the country.
The petroleum ministry has started a transparency portal that lists all the LPG distributors in all cities along with their customers and usage data. According to data available on the portal, Paritala Ravi’s residence has received nine LPG cylinders in the last 11 months. Yet, VIPs in other states were reportedly using a greater number of cylinders than politicians and government officials in AP. Data shows several high profile personalities in the city subscribing to a meagre number of cylinders in the course of the past year.
Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu bought 12 cylinders in the last 11 months for his Road No. 67, Jubilee Hills residence. His wife, N. Bhuvaneswari, had only one cylinder delivered to their Road No. 65, Jubilee Hills residence which now stands blocked. Union petroleum minister S. Jaipal Reddy bought 10 cylinders in the last 11 months of which five were received in the last three months. Former Chief Minister K. Rosaiah had eight delivered to his residence.
Most government officials subscribed to a maximum of 24 LPG cylinders per year which is quite a small number compared to usage by officials in other states. Twitter was also abuzz with talk of LPG usage by politicians with chatter about MP Naveen Jindal using up 369 LPG cylinders and BSP supremo and Rajya Sabha member Mayawati buying 91 in a year.