West Asia conflict: Panic buying of LPG cylinders; admin claims no crisis

Prayagraj: The govt's decision to raise the minimum wait time for booking a domestic LPG cylinder refill from 21 days to 25 days to prevent hoarding has led to widespread rumours of its shortage, causing panic among consumers. As a result, long queues were witnessed at LPG gas distributors' offices on Tuesday, though the govt assured that there is no shortage, and oil marketing companies are prioritizing domestic LPG supply to households.

Govt's move comes in the wake of disruptions in the import of LPG from conflict-hit West Asia, which passes through the Strait of Hormuz. While tapping the US, Algeria, Norway, and Canada for LPG supplies, govt on Monday issued fresh orders, asking oil refiners to ramp up production of cooking gas for domestic consumers. There are over 33.1 crore LPG consumers in the country.


The city has 14 lakh domestic LPG consumers, including 5 lakh within the urban limit. Distributors are blaming frequent bookings by some users, sparking fears of misuse. As rumours of a shortage spread, anxious consumers flocked to booking centres, complaining the IVRS helpline and other digital booking options were not responding.

They said they had repeatedly tried the official phone booking service but could not connect, prompting them to approach the distributor offices directly.

The restrictions sparked panic in the hospitality sector. Restaurants and hotels are feeling the pinch as supplies are being diverted to priority sectors like schools, old-age homes, and hospitals. Associations are urging authorities to intervene and meet their demands,

Officials said an average household uses six to seven domestic cooking gas cylinders of 14.2kg in a year and typically does not require a refill for nearly 50-55 days. While maintaining that oil companies have adequate stocks, officials said the move is aimed at discouraging panic booking.

"Some folks who used to book LPG cylinders every 30-40 days suddenly started booking every 10-15 days, adding to the panic," said a local distributor at Stanley Road on Tuesday. He added, "There should be at least a 25-day gap between booking 2 cylinders, and a DAC (Delivery Authentication Code) number must be generated." He emphasized that domestic consumers are their top priority for LPG supply allocation.

Meanwhile, district authorities claimed that there was no shortage of domestic LPG cylinders and that the set norms for booking a domestic LPG cylinder must be followed. A senior official noted that during conflicts, consumers panic, fearing supply disruptions, and start hoarding cylinders. "To curb this, oil marketing firms have put booking restrictions in place, ensuring domestic gas is used as needed," he explained.