Seven days had not passed, and the price of LPG for autorickshaws in Kolkata increased again. According to the government announcement on Thursday night, from today, Friday, the price of autorickshaw LPG has increased by ₹8 per litre to ₹70.68. Seven days ago, on March 12, the price of autorickshaw LPG in Kolkata increased by ₹5 from ₹57.68 per litre to ₹62.68 per litre. This means that within one week, the price of autorickshaw LPG in Kolkata increased by ₹13. In this case, it is being assumed that fares will increase from today or tomorrow on those routes where autorickshaw fares have not increased even after the 12th. Moreover, long queues are forming at pumps to get autorickshaw LPG.
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Amid the war atmosphere in West Asia, there is no relief for households regarding LPG, just like on the streets. Whatever the central government may claim, LPG distributors in Kolkata and suburbs have reported that there is still a significant shortage in the supply of cooking gas cylinders to households.
The Centre is primarily blaming panic booking for this, meaning a section of the general public booking LPG out of panic even when there is no need. While accepting panic booking as one of the reasons for the problem, distributors supplying LPG for three public sector companies in Kolkata and adjoining areas are unwilling to point fingers solely at that factor for the problem.
Demand surges while supply drops, leading to delays in cylinder delivery
According to those household LPG cylinder suppliers, where an average of 500 cylinders were booked per day earlier, now 1000-1200 cylinders are being booked daily in the same place. However, far from getting additional cylinders, the supply has decreased by 30 percent from the previous daily demand of 500 cylinders. Naturally, there is absolutely no balance between demand and supply of LPG cylinders. According to distributors, before March 1, customers would receive cylinders at home within two days once the Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) was generated after online gas booking. Now, it is taking 8-10 days for cylinders to reach customers' homes after DAC generation.
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The Central Petroleum Ministry has claimed that there is no such shortage in the supply of household or domestic LPG cylinders. However, Bijan Biswas, Vice President of the All-India LPG Distributor Federation, said, "The central government is claiming on one hand that there is no shortage in gas supply. Yet they are campaigning to use alternative fuels like PNG (Piped Natural Gas) and various electric stoves like induction cooktops. If everything is fine, then why are these alternative arrangements being suggested?" He claimed, "Actually, only one company imports PNG in our country. Probably considering that company, the central government is emphasizing the use of PNG." Suburban LPG dealers claim that now in urban areas, gas can be booked 25 days after getting a cylinder once. Cylinders reach people's homes 10 days after DAC generation. In total, it takes 35 days.
Joint Secretary of the Central Government's Petroleum Ministry, Sujata Sharma, has reported that 70,000 panic bookings are still happening daily. The Centre has asked state governments to take necessary steps to prevent illegal hoarding and black marketing of LPG cylinders. In this regard, more than 12,000 search operations have been conducted in various states. More than 16,000 LPG cylinders have been confiscated in these operations.
