Dispelling widespread apprehensions among the masses about the “looming LPG supply crisis” in the country, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has assured people of a normal supply of gas cylinders in the state.
“There is no shortage of gas and petroleum products in Rajasthan, and we will ensure that the supply is not affected,” CM Sharma said in a communique after presiding over an emergency meeting of senior officials from the industries, tourism, home, and transport departments and representatives of various oil companies last evening.
The CM said, “Rajasthan has adequate reserves of these products, and consumers will not face any crisis or difficult situation. We are making arrangements to ensure that the domestic supply remains uninterrupted under all circumstances.”
“For this, an extra alert has been sounded for personnel of the Food and Civil Supply Department. Leave of all department employees has also been cancelled. All concerned officials have been asked to take strict action against hoarders and black marketeers,” the CM added.
In the meeting, the Chief Minister also directed district and state-level control rooms to monitor the situation and address any issues that may arise affecting the supply. Officers were also instructed to hold regular, periodical reviews of the status of gas supply and stock availability.
In a follow-up to the CM’s review meeting last evening, Chief Secretary V Srinivas held an online meeting with district collectors and superintendents of police on Thursday afternoon.
However, reports from some districts indicate that people are facing difficulties in booking gas cylinders due to either a shortage of stock or technical issues with the booking servers.
A major Borosil plant near Chomu town in Jaipur district has reportedly suspended its operations due to a shortage of gas supply. The management has advised around 3,000 workers and over 400 other staff not to report for duty for the time being.
Despite arrangements and assurances by the state government, Leader of the Opposition Tika Ram Jully and Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra held a press conference here this afternoon to highlight shortages of LPG and CNG.
Jully and Dotasra claimed that the supply of commercial LPG cylinders and CNG has been halted, while the booking of domestic gas cylinders is paralysed, either due to shortages or technical issues with the booking servers.
They said the emerging situation is reminiscent of the traumatic phases of demonitisation and the COVID-19 pandemic, when people queued at bank branches, later at health centres for COVID vaccination, and at cremation grounds for the funerals of their loved ones. Now, people are queuing to get gas cylinders.
Jully and Dotasra said the prevailing situation is the result of the Modi government’s failure to anticipate and assess the overall scenario arising from the Middle East conflict.
The Opposition Congress has already announced demonstrations and dharnas at district headquarters on March 12 and 13 to protest the “emerging crisis”.