New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) Amid global supply constraints of LPG due to the ongoing tensions in West Asia, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Friday said strict action is being taken against black marketing and hoarding of LPG cylinders across the country.
Addressing a media briefing here, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery) in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the Centre has directed states and union Territories to intensify monitoring and enforcement to prevent illegal diversion of LPG supplies.
“I would like to tell you that action is being taken on black marketing and hoarding. Even today, the Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Secretary of Consumer Affairs held a meeting with all the Secretaries of the States and union Territories, and the Food and Civil Supplies Departments and informed them about the prevailing situation,” she said.
Sharma said states have been advised to take strict action to ensure that incidents of hoarding and illegal sale do not occur.
“In this context, I would like to tell you that the role of district administration, DMs and SPs in stopping black marketing and hoarding is very important and they are our tools to stop this hoarding and black marketing if it is happening anywhere,” she said.
According to the ministry, several states have already stepped-up monitoring mechanisms. Sharma said control rooms have been opened in states including Meghalaya, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh to track the supply situation.
She also said that states such as Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have begun issuing daily press briefings on the LPG supply situation.
Highlighting enforcement actions, Sharma said authorities have already acted in several cases of illegal storage and theft.
“In Jhansi, there was a theft of a truckload of cylinders in Uttar Pradesh and the police successfully recovered it and took action against the guilty persons. In Hapur, cylinders were recovered from a house and the godown of the concerned distributor has been sealed,” she said.
“In Karnataka, officers of the Food and Civil Supplies Department conducted raids and recovered illegally stored cylinders,” she added.
The Joint Secretary warned distributors against engaging in any unlawful practices.
“I would like to tell all distributors that we should not do anything which is illegal and for which we should not regret,” she said.
Sharma also said officials of public sector oil marketing companies have been activated for surprise inspections to prevent irregularities in distribution.
Listing steps taken to stabilise supply, she said uninterrupted LPG supply to domestic households has been ensured.
“Uninterrupted supply to domestic consumers has been ensured. Similarly, LPG is being supplied to hospitals and educational institutions,” she said.
She added that domestic LPG production has also been stepped up to offset supply constraints.
“Domestic production of LPG has increased by 30 per cent today. In our refineries, more than 30 per cent LPG is being produced in comparison to March 5,” Sharma said.
Commercial LPG cylinders have also been placed at the disposal of state governments for priority distribution to essential services.
“Commercial cylinders have been put at the disposal of the state governments for priority distribution,” she said.
States and union Territories have also been asked to identify locations for kerosene distribution as an alternative fuel supply measure.
“The state governments and union Territories have been requested to identify one or two locations in each district for the distribution of kerosene,” she added.
Reassuring the public, Sharma said there was no need for panic as supplies of other fuels remained stable.
“As far as crude oil is concerned, we possess a refining capacity of 258 million metric tonnes. All our refineries are currently operating at 100 per cent capacity or higher,” she said.
“The refineries hold adequate inventories of crude oil, and supplies are being consistently maintained. Given this situation, there is absolutely no need for panic,” she added.
She also assured that the supply of PNG to domestic households and CNG for vehicles continues without interruption.
“Supply of PNG to domestic consumers and CNG is being ensured without any interruptions or cuts,” she said.
Addressing difficulties faced by commercial establishments dependent on LPG, Sharma said the government has advised them to shift to piped gas where possible.
“We appeal to commercial consumers to contact their local City Gas Distribution network provider or their designated dealer to obtain a PNG connection,” she said.
Meanwhile, the government said it is closely monitoring developments in the Gulf region. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian and discussed the evolving situation.
“The Prime Minister highlighted India’s priorities regarding the safety and well-being of Indian citizens and the importance of the transit of energy and materials,” he said, adding that the Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the security situation in the region.
On the maritime front, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said LPG carriers are being given priority handling at Indian ports.
“LPG carrier vessels have been accorded priority berthing at major ports,” he said.
He added that the ministry continues to closely monitor the maritime situation in the Persian Gulf region amid the ongoing crisis.
