Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol said in Pune on Wednesday that the Indian government has done everything required to mitigate the shortage of cooking gas.
Speaking to media persons, Mohol said, “Priority is being given to ensure cooking gas is available to households. The government has taken steps to ensure this supply. There is no need to worry.”
“There are reports about black marketing of gas cylinders. The situation has arisen due to the war. It will take some time for the situation to stabilise. However, cooking gas supply to households will not be affected,” Mohol assured.
Replying to a question about a hike in air ticket prices, Mohol said that information about the increase is being collected. “If there is an increase in air ticket prices, it will be corrected,” Mohol said.
However, the local hotel industry has been hit by a gas shortage. In his response to a delegation of city hoteliers, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, “There is a shortage of gas. The central government has sent a letter to the state government as well as gas-producing companies to increase LPG production.”
“The central government has ordered priority in the supply of gas cylinders to households. Therefore, we cannot do anything regarding the hotel business. We had appealed to hoteliers to use kerosene, but they said their machines would have to be replaced. We have instructed all supply officers to prevent black marketing of cooking gas cylinders,” Bhujbal said.
Meanwhile, despite the government’s appeal to citizens not to rush to buy cooking gas, people in Kolhapur queued up at outlets to buy cooking gas cylinders.
Later, Kolhapur District Collector Amol Yedge appealed to citizens that nobody should rush for gas cylinders based on shortage rumours. Yegde warned that strict action will be taken against anyone who tries to hoard additional gas in Kolhapur district.
As per instructions issued by the central government, hospitals and educational institutions are the only non-household establishments that are being supplied with gas on a priority basis.
It is also learnt that people in the Ramwadi area of Solapur lined up to buy cooking gas cylinders, based on rumours of a shortage due to war. Cases of “panic booking” have also come to light. Due to a sudden increase in cooking gas cylinder bookings, the online booking system of a gas supply company suffered a technical failure, according to official sources.