Ludhiana: No shortage of LPG, fuel, DC assures residents

The district administration on Friday assured residents that there had been no shortage of LPG cylinders, petrol or diesel in the district, urging residents not to indulge in panic buying amid rumours of supply disruptions.

Chairing a meeting with petrol pump owners and LPG gas agency operators, deputy commissioner (DC) Himanshu Jain said the supply chain was functioning smoothly and the district currently had adequate stock of all essential fuels to meet public demand.

Jain said there was no reason for panic, adding that unnecessary hoarding or bulk buying could create artificial shortages and disrupt the distribution system. He urged residents not to be influenced by rumours and emphasised that panic buying would only cause inconvenience to other consumers.

The DC informed that the administration has started seeking daily reports on the stock and supply status of LPG cylinders, diesel and petrol from concerned agencies to ensure seamless availability of essential fuels across the district.

To curb any possibility of black marketing or illegal hoarding of LPG cylinders, the district administration has also constituted a high-powered committee under the chairmanship of Poonam Singh. The committee includes officials from the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority, Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, police, excise and taxation department and the state food civil supplies and consumer affairs department.

According to officials, the committee will keep strict vigil on black marketing, illegal storage and hoarding of LPG cylinders within the district. It will also monitor the misuse of domestic LPG cylinders for commercial purposes, and legal action will be taken in cases where violations are detected.

The DC urged gas agencies to accept offline bookings if online booking services are unavailable.