Govt: No LPG shortage for consumers in twin cities

Bhubaneswar: There is no shortage of either domestic LPG cylinders or petrol and diesel in the state, the govt said on Tuesday. Chief secretary Anu Garg held a meeting with representatives of oil marketing companies (OMCs) and officials of the food supplies and consumer welfare department on Tuesday and the department assured that there is sufficient stock of LPG cylinders for domestic consumers.

Garg urged people to not panic over LPG or fuel shortage.The meeting discussed in detail issues related to the retail and wholesale distribution of LPG. Garg added that there is no problem in the supply of LPG to educational institutes and hospitals either. She directed the oil company authorities to maintain a balanced supply chain for the availability of LPG and fuel at the facilities.Garg directed the consumer welfare department and the oil companies to generate awareness among people by regularly providing them necessary information regarding the availability of cooking gas, petrol and diesel.

Odisha LPG Distributors’ Association (OLPGDA), on the other hand, has cautioned dealers against black marketing of cylinders, amidst complaints of delay in refill.On Tuesday, customers lined up outside a gas agency in the Khandagiri area in Bhubaneswar, alleging delay in refill of LPG cylinders. They alleged that they had booked for refills 15 to 25 days ago but are yet to get the cylinders. Fearing that the delay would continue for days amid the conflict in West Asia, consumers have sought immediate refills.

However, the gas agency personnel said that the refills are being provided but supply is taking some time owing to several issues, including transportation delays and problems in online payment.

Besides Khandagiri, crowding or short supply was not reported from any other gas agency in either Bhubaneswar or Cuttack.OLPGDA president Biswanath Mukherjee said there is no shortage of LPG cylinders from any of the major oil marketing companies like Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum.

“The only change is that the lock-in-period for refill of domestic LPG cylinder bookings has been increased to 25 days owing to the war situation,” Mukherjee added. On the other hand, hotels and restaurants in Bhubaneswar complained of delay in commercial cylinders.A day after hotel and restaurant industry bodies in Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai flagged LPG shortage, the Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha on Tuesday sent a memorandum to Union petroleum and natural gas minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, raising similar concerns.

The members said hotels and restaurants in the city are starting to feel the pinch as many of the LPG suppliers are refusing supply.Aditya Sahu, who owns a hotel in the city, said commercial cylinders are short in supply and the refills are being delayed. “On days like Wednesdays and weekends, we need at least 3 to 4 commercial cylinders. But for the last few days, we are buying them at higher rates because we are told that supply is delayed owing to the war,” he said.