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| Artificial scarcity of subsidised, non-subsidised LPG cylinders alleged | | Black marketing of cylinders rises in the region | | Bharat Bhushan
jammu, Oct 8: Following the Centre's new policy on cooking gas, some gas agencies here are alleged to have created artificial scarcity of subsidised and non-subsidised LPG cylinders as a result of which their black marketing has risen abruptly in the region.
People are up in arms against the Government and have warned to launch an agitation if the problem was not sorted out at the earliest.
They alleged that the scarcity had been created by some gas agencies in connivance with the officials of CAPD. "The non-availability of domestic and commercial cylinders has led to their black marketing," they added, lashing out at the Government for its failure to address the alleged issue of denial of LPG cylinders to consumers.
Sudershan Gupta of Kachi Chawni, whom this scribe met outside JAKFED sale outlet at Ambphalla (near Mian Dido Chowk), said he had been facing difficulty in getting LPG cylinders after the announcement of the new policy on cooking gas and placing of cap on subsidised cylinders to the domestic consumers.
Consumers outside a private distributor's office at Panjtirthi also had the similar concerns. "Earlier we were getting LPG cylinders on the spot, without waiting even for a few hours, but now we have to wait for at least three to four days," said Amit Bhardwaj of Upper Bazar.
Rouf Ahmad of Ustad Mohalla said though there was scarcity of LPG cylinders at the sale outlets of some gas agencies, these were available in abundance in the black market.
All Jammu Hotels and Lodges Association president Inderjeet Khajuria said the unavailability of non-subsidised commercial LPG cylinders was a great cause of concern among the catering houses here.
He alleged that the cylinders were being sold in black and Rs 500 to 800 extra per cylinder were being charged over the price fixed by oil companies.
Prajapati, who runs a sweet shop in the city, said the scarcity of cylinders had adversely affected his business. "I need cylinders almost daily to prepare sweets. My whole business depends on cylinders. If the agency owner does not make cylinders available to me and other sweet shop owners, we will be forced to buy them in black," he asserted.
A senior CAPD official, who spoke to ET on the condition of anonymity, said he too had received complaints in this regard. "The department will soon take some action against the black marketeers," he added.
He said action under law would be taken against those distributors who were found indulging in the black marketing of LPG cylinders. |
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