GUWAHATI, April 27 � The consumers have to bear the brunt of LPG cylinder shortage in the State for another month as the LPG crisis is not likely to get over very soon.
Whereas the shutdown of NRL�s LPG unit after a fire incident on April 7 has left the State short of 4,000 Metric Ton LPG, other factors including minor technical problem in Bongaigaon Refinery and maintenance work in Digboi Refinery are also contributing towards the scarcity of filled cylinders in the State, according to the IOC sources
At present there is a dearth of around 4.6 lakh LPG cylinders every month after a shortage of nearly 6600 MT LPG per month.
�The crisis should end from the month of June. But, till then the shortage would definitely continue. Various factors including the bulk shortage of LPG in the country has contributed towards this situation in the State,� a senior IOC official said. However, it is becoming difficult for the consumers to face the situation with each passing day. �It has been more than a month since I booked a cylinder, but I am yet to get my cylinder. It is almost impossible to run a family without a gas cylinder,� Marami Deka of Uzanbazar said.
Meanwhile, the LPG distributors have asked the people to bear with the situation and exercise restraint. According to Satyamrit Kagti of Bluflame Agencies, �There has been an LPG crisis in the entire country. There was a chronic shortage of refilled cylinders from February 2011 to March 2012 and our agency received 10 per cent less refilled LPG cylinders in comparison to the previous 12 months. At a time when there was already a backlog, the crisis got acute during Bihu and thereafter.� Meanwhile, the administration has intensified its drive against the black marketing of LPG cylinders. Nine cylinders were seized in Hatigaon and Greater Fatasil Ambari areas this morning, an official statement said. Six cases have also been registered in this regard.
