Jammu, Nov 27: Even before the onset of winter in the state, J&K is facing shortage of LPG forcing consumers to wait for 15-20 days for getting delivery of cooking gas. The shortage, according to sources, is due to shutting down of Panipat Refinery by Indian Oil Corporation.
 Official sources said that the government has taken serious note of the shortage of cooking gas across the state and has asked the Indian Oil Corporation to overcome the shortage well before the onset of winter.
 Officials said that a team of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department (CAPD) held a meeting with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) on Thursday to discuss the problems being faced by the consumers across the state.
 “We are well aware about the problems being faced by the people and matter has been taken up with the IOC”, Director CAPD, Jammu Parvez Malik told Greater Kashmir, adding that the department has been assured that the supply will be stabilized in next few days.
 Though CAPD does not have direct authority in the distribution and supply of LPG, its duty is to keep check and ensure that there is proper supply in the market, he said.
 Malik however said that there are enough stocks available and the department has started market checking few days back to curb the black-marketing of cylinders.
 Due to short supply of the LPG, consumers in the region have to wait for 15 to 20 days to get their cylinders refilled. Earlier the waiting period was two to three days.
 Kamal Anand, a booking manager of a LPG distributor in Jammu said, “Short supply from the main dealers, misuse of domestic connections for commercial purposes had also contributed to the shortage in recent past particularly during the festival and marriage season”.
 “I had made booking about two weeks back and still I have not received the cylinder. Whenever I call the distributor he says wait for few more days,” said Rajni, a housewife.
 However a distributor said that extension of the cooking gas services to the rural areas was also being misused by businessmen and other influential persons which has created shortage in the market.
 Other dealers said that bakers, confectioners, restaurant and hotel owners had two to four cooking gas connections, which was becoming another reason for shortage. Since their daily demand was for more than five to eight cylinders they illegally secured additional cylinders either from the rural sector or from the domestic connections for their commercial use.
 However an official from the CAPD said that the Darbar move has also put additional burden on the demand in winter capital of the state. “We need additional supply to cater to the requirements of 5,000 employees who shift to Jammu from Srinagar”, he added.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 27 Nov 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 27 Nov 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 28 Nov 2010 00:00:00 IST