AP To Curb Illegal Diversion, Hoarding Of Domestic LPG

Vijayawada: As part of the ongoing efforts to curb illegal diversion and hoarding mainly of commercial LPG cylinders, the Andhra Pradesh government has booked 1,035 cases and seized 4,250 cylinders so far.

Hoarding is being done by vested interests, taking advantage of the shortage due to the Iran war.

In one case, some 100 LPG domestic cylinders which were diverted and hoarded were seized. An FIR was registered and a case has been booked under section 6A of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

State civil supplies director Shrivas Nupur Ajay said, “We are on an intense drive to curb diversion and hoarding of domestic LPG cylinders in AP. Those who resort to such practice will be taken to task. We urge motorists not to go for panic buying of petrol and diesel as we have adequate stocks for supply.”

Civil supplies authorities maintain that domestic LPG cylinders are being given to all those who sought them. They however admitted a delay in the supply. “With more booking done for such cylinders in the last few days, it’s taking nearly four to five days or even up to eight to 10 days for delivery of the cylinders now, against the one or two days during the pre-crisis period,” they said.

Domestic LPG consumers have been advised not to go for panic booking of refills as adequate stocks are available for supply. The margin of booking for domestic LPG cylinder is 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas. This is irrespective of whether or not the gas connection is under the Ujjwala Yojana scheme.

Consumers have been advised to book their refills based on need from the comfort of their homes through online mode, without going to the office of the gas agency and insisting on accepting manual booking, which is “not available.”

As for commercial LPG cylinders, the central government has announced availability of 70 per cent, from the earlier 20 per cent of average consumption before the crisis-period from March 28 onwards, to the consumers, to avoid any trouble for mainly the hotels, restaurants, road-side eateries and dhabas.

This is by keeping in mind the difficulty to get tiffins and food to the people travelling from place to place for work, study or other purposes and for the commoners and for the daily wage workers, officials explained.

Meanwhile, teams of special officers and quick reaction teams are monitoring the supply of mainly domestic LPG to avoid illegal diversion for commercial usage or hoarding and even to the blackmarket on a daily basis across the state.

However, non-availability of domestic LPG cylinders resulted in several hotels, restaurants and road-side eateries, dhabas and even curry points closed. Those that are running have trimmed the number of the items in their menu and enhanced the prices. .

Some of them are managing to get domestic LPG cylinders in the black market by paying `3,000 to `3,500 per refill in order to continue their business.

Owner of a roadside eatery has confided, “We are using domestic LPG cylinders from the black market by paying hefty amounts though we are supposed to use only commercial LPG. We use this during the evening and night as civil supplies officials do not come for inspection after office hours.”