LPG shortage grips Mohali district

In Mohali,three gas agencies of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC),two of Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and one of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPC) are catering to almost 85,000 consumers while two IOC agencies in Kharar,one each in Kurali,Majri and Banur besides one each of HPC in Kurali,Dera Bassi and one of BPC in Dera Bassi were supplying LPG to another 65,000 consumers.

While the gas agencies in Mohali were running almost 15 days short of demand,the backlog in Kharar,Kurali,Nayagaon and other places was shooting over one month.

Several LPG distributors,on the condition of anonymity,revealed that they were receiving almost half the supply than demand and that also not regularly.

Taking advantage of the situation,black-marketing,illegal sale and hoarding of LPG cylinders has picked up. Those who are refusing to pay extra bucks were forced to wait for several days after booking LPG refill while extra payment of anything between Rs 100-200 would fetch LPG refill without any delay and booking formality. While IOC LPG Deputy Manager Chetan Patwari did not took repeated calls and also did not responded to sms,Chief Manager Pankaj Mathur,without even hearing the query,said,“I am not authorised to talk to the media.” He referred to the general manger but refused to give his contact number.