Were you one of those who received an email warning your LPG gas cylinder might have expired? The emails comes with the following photo of a gas cylinder with D-06 written in it indicating the fourth quarter of 2006. This coding only applies to the cylinders manufactured in India under the ISI guidelines. As, the cylinders supplied in Nepal are imported from India, they also apply to the cylinders available in Nepal.

The truth is, it is not a "true" expiry date!

It is the date of next Statutory Testing. It sure is riskier to use that has passed the testing date but be assured, the life of the cylinder is not expired. For example, as of now, all the cylinders should have the writing at least A-12 or higher to confirm that the cylinder is tested for it’s safety.

If you haven’t received the warning email, here is what the email looks like:

Have U ever heard about LPG cylinder’s expiry date….!!

Do you know that there is an expiry date (physical life) for LPG cylinders? Expired Cylinders are not safe for use and may cause accidents. In this regard, please be cautious at the time of accepting any LPG cylinder from the vendor.
Here is how we can check the expiry of LPG cylinders:
On one of three side stems of the cylinder, the expiry date is coded alpha numerically as follows A or B or C or D and some two digit number following this e.g. D06.
The alphabets stand for quarters –
1. A for March (First Qtr),
2. B for June (Second Qtr),
3. C for Sep
t (Third Qtr),
4. D for December (Fourth Qtr).
The digits stand for the year till it is valid. Hence D06 would mean December qtr of 2006.
Please Return Back the Cylinder that you get with a Expiry Date, they are prone to Leak and other Hazardous accidents…
The second example with D13 allows the cylinder to be in use Up to Dec 2013.
Kindly pass this on…

Well, the official version on the explanation from Indian Oil Corporation website can be accessed here (screenshot attached) is less alarming and we need not panic even if the testing date has passed: