Chandigarh has added another feather in its cap by becoming India’s first kerosene free city. Leaving the old traditions of burning kerosene lamps and stoves, Chandigarh has shown that it is the real modern city of India. Chandigarh Administration has made a lot of efforts to get the ‘Kerosene Free’ title for the city. Becoming kerosene free means that no kerosene will be available at shops and old depots and everyone will have to move to modern means – LPG cylinders.
This has been done taking into view the adverse effects of kerosene oil on the environment and health of people. Generally poor people who did not have a gas connection were using kerosene oil for cooking and the government used to make kerosene available at subsidized rates through depots. One such depot was in Sector 22, Chandigarh where people could be witnessed standing in line to get their turn for kerosene oil. Moving forward to ban kerosene in Chandigarh, the Administration has provided LPG connections for all citizens in the city especially those who are under BPL (Below poverty line).
Kerosene Free Chandigarh
The ministry of petroleum and natural gas (MoPNG) and the Chandigarh administration have taken this initiative jointly. The supply of subsidised kerosene has been stopped in the city from the month of April and no kerosene will be available in Chandigarh whatsoever. In order to move people from Kerosene to LPG, enrolment camps were organised and LPG connections were given to people who used kerosene.
Two schemes has been started by Ajit Balaji Joshi, deputy commissioner of Chandigarh.
- Deposit free LPG connection scheme
- Interest free loan scheme
Deposit free LPG connection scheme is for Below Poverty Line(BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families. Under this scheme free LPG cylinder and a regulator worth Rs. 1600 have provided to these families.
The second scheme is interest free loan scheme. This scheme includes the other families using kerosene oil that does not come under below poverty line. These families will be provided one gas cylinder, a regulator and a suraksha pipe worth Rs. 1750.
During this campaign 15,249 LPG connections were provided in Chandigarh out of which 1,574 were for BPL households.
Kerosene, when used as a cooking gas causes many health related problems like coughing, difficulty in breathing and increases risk of asthma, TB and cancer. It may also cause various skin problems like dermatitis. Burning of kerosene oil also causes the air to be polluted and harms people living nearby. All major cities of India will soon be made Kerosene free. Our beautiful city Chandigarh has taken the lead by becoming the first kerosene free city of India.
Comments
