Chandigarh, Mar 17 (PTI) Punjab-based LPG distributors on Tuesday said there was an “inadequate” supply of gas, despite the Union government and oil marketing companies claiming adequate availability, and demanded an increase in supplies to clear the backlog.
Addressing mediapersons here, Federation of LPG Distributors of Punjab president Gurpal Singh Mann claimed that a sudden increase in LPG prices — Rs 60 per domestic cylinder and Rs 115 per commercial cylinder — created panic among consumers who apprehended a possible supply shortage.
Instead of stabilising the situation, subsequent measures added to confusion and anxiety, he said.
“The imposition of discriminatory restrictive booking intervals, once every 25 days for urban consumers and once every 45 days for rural consumers, has raised serious concerns,” he said.
If there is no shortage, as being officially stated, such restrictive measures are difficult to justify, Mann claimed.
He further said the temporary suspension of LPG booking channels for 3-4 days further aggravated the situation, leaving distributors to face public pressure without clarity or support.
“This has resulted in a surge of pending bookings, while supply from bottling plants remains insufficient to meet even existing demand,” he said.
Each gas agency in Punjab has pending bookings varying between 2,000 to 5,000 cylinders, he said, adding that consumers at many places are standing in queues outside the LPG godowns to get cooking gas cylinders.
Mann said there is a cut of around 20 per cent in domestic LPG supplies to distributors.
The problem aggravated after the companies’ software failed to book refills, leading to panic among consumers, he said.
For the past week, consumers have been claiming that they could not book their cylinders, he said.
Another LPG distributor said the staff are worried about their safety because they fear facing public fury in villages in the wake of “inadequate” LPG supplies.
At many places, reports of heated arguments by customers with the staff of LPG distributors have also surfaced, he said.
The association claimed that while the statements by the government and the state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) indicate adequate availability, the LPG distributors are facing mounting backlogs and inadequate supply.
The gap between assurances and actual delivery is eroding public trust, he said.
Restrictive booking policies, suspension of booking systems, and sudden price hikes have collectively contributed to panic among consumers, creating a perception of scarcity similar to crisis situations witnessed during the COVID-19 period, he said.
Mann claimed that they are not being provided clear, timely information regarding supply schedules or policy decisions, leaving them unable to respond effectively to public concerns.
He said there are a total of 980 LPG distributors in Punjab, catering to 96 lakh customers.
The federation said it remains committed to maintaining uninterrupted LPG supply to households and businesses across Punjab. However, the current situation demands urgent alignment between policy, communication, and ground execution to prevent further escalation.
The LPG distributors sought to increase supply allocation, ensure bottling plants operate at full capacity and establish a formal mechanism for distributor consultation and consumer feedback.
On March 12, the Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution against the Centre, alleging that its foreign policy failure caused the LPG shortage and a rate hike, creating hardships for people across the country. PTI CHS OZ OZ
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