BHOPAL, April 17 -- In recent days, the steps taken by the central government to promote Piped Natural Gas (PNG) have sparked a fresh debate. Reports from several places suggest that LPG consumers are being issued notices to shift to PNG within 90 days, failing which their LPG connections may be discontinued. There are also indications that households with access to PNG may be required to surrender their LPG connections altogether. At first glance, this policy appears to be a move towards better energy management and reducing import dependence. However, the practical implications and concerns related to consumer rights make the issue far more complex.
The most fundamental question is this: in any system, should consumers be deprived of cho...