25% of LPG cylinders inspected in Karnataka found below declared quantity

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Sep 29, 2026: Around 25% of the LPG cylinders inspected across Karnataka were found to contain less gas than the declared quantity, according to data from the Legal Metrology Department.

The department, which functions under the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department headed by Minister Rizwan Arshad, inspected 17 LPG bottling units on September 24.

Of the 1,530 cylinders inspected, 1,148 (75%) contained the declared quantity or more. Of these, 943 cylinders contained excess gas, while 205 contained the exact declared quantity. The remaining 382 cylinders (25%) contained less than the declared quantity, though within the permissible error limit.

For a 5-kg LPG cylinder, the Maximum Permissible Error (MPE) is 150 grams. The limit is 300 grams for a 14.2-kg cylinder and 380 grams for a 19-kg cylinder.

The inspection drive resulted in three cases being registered and fines totalling Rs 79,000 being collected. The exercise was conducted under ‘Mission Nikhara’, which carries the tagline ‘No Less, No More, Just Exact’.

The department inspected bottling units operated by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (four), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (four), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (four), TotalEnergies (two) and private bottlers Jyothi Gas, Sree LPG and Sneha Petroleum.

“Accurate measurement is a consumer’s right. Mission Nikhara is our measurement guarantee to the people of Karnataka. Consumers have the right to receive the quantity they are entitled to under prescribed standards. Through regular inspections, enforcement and greater consumer awareness, we want to ensure transparency and accountability in every transaction,” Arshad said in a press statement.

Consumers also have the right to ask for their LPG cylinders to be weighed at the time of delivery, the minister said, urging them to exercise this right and report suspected violations to the Legal Metrology Department.

Earlier in September, the department had inspected petrol and diesel stations across the state. A total of 3,071 fuel dispensing nozzles were checked, of which 85% were found to deviate from the expected measurement, either by dispensing more or less fuel.

According to department data, among every eight nozzles found to have measurement deviations, seven were found to undersupply fuel while one was found to dispense more than the expected quantity.