Chhatarpur (MP), Mar 12 (PTI) Authorities have impounded 38 domestic LPG cylinders during raids conducted over the last two days in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district in the Bundelkhand region bordering Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Thursday.
The raids came amid reports of a shortage of cooking gas cylinders for the past three days in view of the ongoing conflict in West Asia which has disrupted global energy supplies.
Long queues have been reported outside several LPG agencies in the state. However, the Centre has asserted there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene or LPG in the country.
The raids were conducted after the Chhatarpur district administration asked officials to take strict action against black marketing, illegal storage and misuse of domestic LPG cylinders.
In the latest action on Thursday, a joint team of revenue and food departments seized 13 empty LPG cylinders from a water plant in Bilhari village of the Nowgong area, said the officials.
The cylinders were stored illegally and were being traded for commercial use, they said.
The raid was conducted under the leadership of Sub-Divisional Magistrate G S Patel following instructions from in-charge district collector Namah Shivay Arjariya.
In another raid on Wednesday, officials seized 25 LPG cylinders from a house in Vishwanath Colony in Chhatarpur town.
District Food Officer Sitaram Kothare said authorities acted on a complaint about illegal storage of cylinders at the residence of a retired teacher, Shyamlal Ahirwar.
A team comprising the local tehsildar, naib tehsildar and a food inspector raided the house and seized 25 cylinders — 22 empty and three filled. Legal action has been initiated against the accused under the Petroleum Act, Kothare added. PTI COR LAL RSY
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