New Delhi/Mumbai: Amid concerns over LPG supply in many parts of the country, the issue was raised in Parliament on Monday, where Opposition and ruling BJP members attacked each other over the energy crisis, even as authorities in multiple states initiated a crackdown on hoarding and black marketing.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge said that the government had claimed that the LPG supply was not affected by the situation in the West Asia but the ground reality is different.
“The LPG crisis has caused widespread panic across the entire nation. Its impact is severely affecting the poor and vulnerable sections, the middle class, ordinary households, restaurants, hostels, and commercial users,” he said during the Zero Hour.
This evoked a sharp counter from Union Minister JP Nadda, who accused opposition parties, especially Congress, of not standing with the people but of instigating them.
Nadda said the current West Asia conflict is not due to India and further claimed that a Congress leader has been caught hoarding LPG cylinders.
In other parts of the country, authorities conducted raids and inspections amid increased vigilance to check illegal stockpiling of domestic gas cylinders.
As many as 84 illegally stored LPG cylinders valued at Rs 2.22 lakh were seized from a private premises in Bhiwandi town of Maharashtra’s Thane district, leading to the registration of a case against three individuals under the Essential Commodities Act.
An official said out of 84 cylinders, 34 were filled, and the remaining were empty.
Giving details about the Maharashtra government’s crackdown on hoarding and illicit trading of gas cylinders, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said 23 cases have been registered and 18 people arrested.
Replying to the issue raised by Congress’s Abhijit Wanjarri in the legislative council, Bhujbal listed steps undertaken by the state government to keep the prices under control amid the West Asia crisis.
The state government has formed committees of collectors and superintendents of police at the district level, which carried out 2,129 raids and seized 1,208 cylinders and goods worth Rs 33,66,411, he said.
In Jammu, the administration conducted inspections at multiple LPG outlets amid panic buying and complaints of delivery failures of gas cylinders. Some gas cylinder dealers faced action who were allegedly found violating norms.
Officials insisted there was no shortage of fuel and urged people not to fall prey to rumours; however, long queues were reported at several LPG outlets in Jammu over the past few days.
