LPG Crisis: Strict Security at Gas Agencies in Delhi

New Delhi: The supply of LPG has been disrupted in major cities across the country. It has been reported that about 50 percent of hotels in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru have been forced to close due to a severe shortage of LPG cylinders. As the crisis worsens, police deployments have been intensified in Delhi, considering the possibility of clashes at gas agencies.

Station House Officers (SHOs) have been instructed to prepare a list of agencies in their respective areas and conduct surveillance through PCR vans and motorcycles. Long queues have appeared in front of gas agencies in Uttar Pradesh, prompting the police to tighten security.

The primary objective of the police is to prevent hoarding and the sale of cylinders at exorbitant prices, taking advantage of the supply disruption. Strict action will be taken against shop owners who illegally refill small cylinders. Reports indicate that cylinders, which would normally cost between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,100, are being sold for Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,500 in the black market.

The cooking gas shortage has hit cafes and hotels in Delhi particularly hard. Many businesses are being forced to switch to induction cooking or piped natural gas. The crisis stems from disruptions in fuel imports and supply due to conflicts in Western Asia. In response, the government has established a new priority order for the distribution of domestically produced natural gas.

The illegal filling of cylinders poses a serious risk of fire and explosions, threatening the life and property of the public, the police have warned. Protests and road blockades have been reported in places such as Noida, as a result of the gas shortage.