Gaya's Persistent LPG Crisis: Illegal Storage Uncovered Amid Supply Woes
The LPG crisis in Gaya district continues to escalate, despite concerted efforts by the district administration to ensure a smooth supply for nearly eight lakh consumers. Allegations of malpractices by some dealers, including black marketing and record manipulation, are compounding the issue, leaving residents in distress.
Illegal Storage Unit Raided in Manpur
On Sunday, a police patrol team made a significant discovery in the Manpur locality, unearthing an illegal LPG storage unit. The raid resulted in the recovery of 39 cylinders and 62 consumer cards. Investigations revealed that the seized cylinders belonged to two major oil marketing companies: Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL).
Police authorities are currently grappling with the challenge of tracing the source of these cylinders. In Gaya district, BPCL operates 27 agencies, while IOCL has 24, raising concerns about potential complicity within the supply chain.
Social Activist Alleges Agency Connivance
A social activist, speaking on condition of anonymity, asserted that such illegal storage operations would not be feasible without the tacit involvement of gas agencies. This claim gains traction in light of previous discrepancies found during official raids.
Earlier, supply officials conducted a raid at an agency in Manpur, uncovering stark inconsistencies between stock records and physical inventory. The stock register indicated 363 filled domestic LPG cylinders, but verification showed only six were actually filled, with 357 empty. Additionally, the register listed 137 empty cylinders, whereas the actual count was 486.
Legal Action and Oversight Shortcomings
District Supply Officer Ashok Kumar Chaudhary confirmed that a case has been registered against the implicated agency under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. However, social activist Nand Kishore, also known as Johny, highlighted systemic issues, noting that offenders often evade consequences due to oversight and other procedural shortcomings.
Surge in Consumer Complaints
The district control room reported a staggering 1,301 LPG-related complaints in the last week of March alone. Common grievances included consumers receiving delivery messages without actual cylinder receipt and booking anomalies. While the district administration claims to have resolved most complaints, skepticism remains among the public.
Pending Deliveries and Daily Demand
According to official records, a daunting 60,811 LPG bookings are currently pending delivery across Gaya district. District Magistrate Shashank Shubhankar disclosed that the district faces an average daily demand of 14,488 cylinders, underscoring the scale of the supply-demand mismatch.
The ongoing crisis highlights urgent needs for stricter enforcement and transparency in LPG distribution to safeguard consumer interests in Gaya.
