Lakhs of LPG customers are standing in long queues for hours in front of the LPG distribution counters across the state for their biometric data authentication over rumours of a December 31 deadline.

However, gas companies have clarified that authenticating biometric data to verify Aadhaar details of domestic LPG customers has no deadline.

Also, biometric authentication through Aadhaar is mandatory only for those customers availing of subsidy, particularly Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana beneficiaries. For Indian Oil customers, this authentication is also mandatory who are enrolled under PAHAL or Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh Scheme.

Authentication can be done through gas companies’ portals, mobile applications or by visiting the UIDAI site. Authentication is a free service.

However, misinformation abounds and LPG customers — those availing the subsidy and those who are not — are equally hassled.

Sanjoy Sarkar, a domestic non-subsidised LPG user in Nadia, said: “I was told authentication is mandatory for all.”

Farmer Lakshmi Konra from Birbhum’s Parui came to an LPG distributor in Bolpur last week to queue up for over five hours to complete the process. “I spent Rs 100 for bus fare and food as it took all day. I was told there is a December 31 deadline. This is a complete harassment for me during harvest time,” she said.

In many places, network or technical problems led to more delays. Some customers alleged that distributors forced them to buy accessories like new pipes or charged them Rs 100 to Rs 200 for the authentication job.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Tapan Kumar Pradhan, manager (corporate communications), Indian Oil, said: “We don’t know how the misleading issue of deadline comes. There is no deadline for Aadhaar data verification. There is no question of discontinuation of service or scrapping connection even in the unlikely situation that a customer fails to do the authentication. The service is provided free of cost.”

Bengal has over 2.65 crore domestic LPG customers.