Admn steps in to plug LPG crisis

Snehil Jaiswal / TNN / Dec 24, 2005, 03:06 IST

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The district administration has launched a massive drive against those involved in selling LPG cylinders on the black market.

PATNA: The district administration has launched a massive drive against those involved in selling LPG cylinders on the black market. Besides, action will also be taken against those possessing unauthorised cylinders.
Till date, over 20 FIRs have been filed in this regard. More than 50 domestic cylinders, put to commercial use, have also been seized.
The raiding teams have also seized about 50 unauthorised regulators and cylinders.As many as 17 persons have been penalised by the district administration for changing the model of their vehicles without obtaining permission.
"A fine of Rs 500 is collected from such owners and they are being booked under the Motor Vehicles Act," an official said.

"Raids are being regularly conducted at various places to check hoarding of cylinders or using them for purposes other than cooking.
We are lodging FIRs against all those who are found guilty," Patna DM B Rajinder said. According to sources, the shortage of LPG cylinders exists only in a few distribution agencies.
IOC, which holds 73 per cent of the LPG market in Bihar, supplied 611 truckloads to Patna till December 22 against the requirement of 557 truckloads of LPG cylinders.

"Most of our refill bookings are clear in Patna. In fact, only those who are far behind in the queue are facing problems," a senior IOC official said and added that the issue of floating tenders for smaller trucks for bringing supplies from the under-repair Koelwar bridge is about to be finalised.
Even BPCL authorities claim they are trying their level best to rectify the problem. "Our plants are running in full capacity and going by the present shortage of 25 truckloads in Bihar, we are looking forward to a return to normalcy in the coming four to five days," said B Mandal, deputy manager, BPCL.
HPCL says that within six to seven days, it would make up for the backlog of nearly eight truckloads in the state. State food and civil supply secretary Arun Jha blames the oil companies for the LPG shortage in the state.
However, the authorities of the oil firms point out the poor condition of roads, which, they claim, affects the LPG supply. The current spell of the crisis is the result of the repair work going on the Koelwar bridge and the two-day road blockage at Arwal recently.
"In Arwal, a stretch of about 10 km is in a very bad shape. A truck broke down on the road on December 22 as a result of which the narrow passage got choked. This hampered our supplies," an IOC officer said.

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