District-wise allocation of commercial LPG begins in U’khand

Dehradun: District-wise allocation of commercial LPG cylinders has begun in Uttarakhand following the implementation of a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) aimed at streamlining supply, officials said.Under the new system, oil marketing companies — Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, and Bharat Petroleum Corporation — have started supplying cylinders to gas agencies as per the govt's SOP. Officials said the move is expected to bring relief to commercial consumers. As part of the allocation, 794 cylinders of 19 kg and 85 cylinders of 47.5 kg have been distributed to agencies. The state currently has 63,054 commercial gas connections, serviced through 311 gas agencies. With the rollout of the SOP, authorities expect a significant improvement in the availability of commercial LPG cylinders.Additional food commissioner P S Pangti said, "There is no shortage of domestic LPG in the state." He added that the SOP, issued recently, mandates gas agencies to supply cylinders to hotels, restaurants, homestays, hospitals, and pharmaceutical units based on their daily requirements.Meanwhile, district administrations have stepped up enforcement to prevent misuse of domestic cylinders. In Pauri Garhwal, district magistrate Swati S Bhadauria held a review meeting and directed departments to conduct surprise inspections across the district.District supply officer Arun Kumar Verma said, "A total of 103 establishments were inspected on Wednesday, including 10 gas godowns, two petrol pumps or petty diesel dealers, and 91 commercial establishments." In Srinagar, a fine of Rs 4,600 was imposed on a commercial establishment for illegal use of domestic gas cylinders.In Uttarkashi, DM Prashant Arya said adequate stock of domestic cylinders is available at depots, but booking services are facing disruptions due to a surge in calls."Consumers who are unable to complete their bookings via telephone, SMS, or mobile applications may visit gas agencies solely for booking. All agencies have been directed to ensure door-to-door delivery for registered consumers," Arya said.In compliance with the directives of Dehradun DM Savin Bansal, the District Administration's Quick Response Team (QRT) is continuously and actively conducting operations to effectively curb the black marketing of LPG gas within the district. In furtherance of this initiative, a series of raids were conducted across various areas today.During the operation, 22 domestic gas cylinders were seized from the Tehsil Sadar area, while another 10 domestic cylinders—being illegally utilized in hotels, dhabas (roadside eateries), and commercial establishments—were confiscated in the Vikasnagar area. Investigations revealed that domestic LPG cylinders were being commercially exploited within these establishments; consequently, necessary legal action is being initiated against the concerned entities.