Govt says LPG stocks adequate, but ground distress emerges across Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh govt on Wednesday reviewed the availability and distribution of LPG, diesel and petrol across the state, issuing directions for close monitoring of supply while assuring residents that domestic cooking gas and petroleum stocks remain adequate.Chhattisgarh’s review of LPG supply has opened up a widening gap between official reassurance and reports from the ground, with complaints of delayed booking, disrupted commercial supply and suspected black-marketing surface from multiple districts. The issue came into sharper focus after a meeting chaired by food secretary Reena Baba Saheb Kangale on Wednesday, where officials of oil companies briefed the government on fuel availability and distribution. According to the state, all five LPG bottling plants in Chhattisgarh have sufficient stock and domestic LPG supply is continuing normally. The govt has also issued a toll-free helpline — 1800-233-3663 — for consumers facing supply-related problems.At the same meeting, officials said commercial LPG cylinders are currently being supplied only to essential institutions such as hospitals and educational establishments. Kangale directed that schools, hostels and other educational institutions must continue to receive cylinders without disruption, especially with examinations under way. She also said the possibility of allowing around 15% of commercial supply to hotels and similar establishments could be considered so that essential services linked to food supply are not severely affected.The state also directed district administrations to crack down on misuse of domestic cylinders and illegal refilling, warning of action under the Essential Commodities Act in case of irregularities or black-marketing. Officials maintained that there was no shortage of LPG, diesel or petrol in the state and appealed to consumers not to panic or hoard.But even as the govt sought to calm nerves, pressure has begun surfacing in several districts.In Bilaspur, collector Sanjay Agrawal reviewed the situation and officials said the district has around 4.8 lakh domestic LPG connections serviced by 38 distributors of three oil companies, with nearly 5,000 cylinders being distributed daily over the past 10 days. The booking interval has, however, been extended from 21 to 25 days.A day later, complaints deepened in Bilaspur as consumers struggled to book domestic cylinders. Authorities launched a crackdown on alleged black-marketing and seized 75 cylinders from a shop in Sarkanda area. During a raid near Mahamaya Chowk, the food department recovered 72 domestic and three commercial cylinders from a gas refilling shop. Consumers in Bilaspur said they were being forced to make repeated visits to agencies in the heat as server problems disrupted booking and OTP generation. Many complained that even after several attempts over days, booking was not being completed.In Durg, district administration has said there is adequate stock of domestic LPG as well as diesel and petrol, and that supply is continuing normally. Officials said Durg has around 4 lakh gas connections, including under the Ujjwala scheme, and nearly 9,750 cylinder refills are being carried out daily.However, on the ground, several consumers said they had been trying to book cylinders for as long as 15 days without success. In Surguja, the stress appears more visible in the commercial segment. Hotel operators in Ambikapur said the absence of commercial cylinders had forced some establishments to shift temporarily to wood-fired furnaces for cooking and sweets. Chhattisgarh hotel and restaurant association said it had issued an advisory to members asking them not to panic. The association said there was no immediate crisis yet, but advised hotels, caterers, cloud kitchens and other food businesses to avoid panic buying, prioritise core kitchen operations and explore alternatives such as electric cooking equipment, PNG, bulk LPG storage and hybrid kitchen systems if commercial supply disruptions continue.