Bhopal, March 13: Concerns are rising over the shortage of LPG cylinders due to ongoing conflicts in West Asia. Despite directives from the administration to curb illegal supplies, incidents of black marketing of cooking gas are rapidly increasing in Madhya Pradesh.
A recent case of illegal refilling and black marketing was uncovered in the Gandhi Nagar area of Bhopal, prompting immediate action from district authorities.
Upon receiving a tip-off, a team from Bhopal’s Food and Civil Supplies and Revenue Department conducted a thorough search operation in a house’s bathroom in Gandhi Nagar, recovering approximately 18 LPG cylinders.
Chandrabhan Singh Jadon, an official from the Madhya Pradesh government’s Food and Civil Supplies Department, stated that the search was initiated following reports of black marketing and hoarding of LPG cylinders.
“We found 18 LPG cylinders stored in a bathroom during our search in Gandhi Nagar. A case has been registered, and further action will be taken based on the investigation results,” Jadon reported.
He added that the Food and Civil Supplies Department is closely monitoring the situation in collaboration with other agencies and is acting promptly on information received from the public.
It has also come to light that those involved in black marketing are charging between ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 for domestic LPG cylinders in Bhopal.
The Madhya Pradesh government has instructed all district collectors to ensure the smooth operation of the LPG supply system and to prevent hoarding or black marketing. Following directives from the central government, oil companies have halted supplies to commercial consumers, including hotels, malls, and industries using bulk LPG, except for hospitals and educational institutions.
Additionally, the refill booking period for domestic cylinders has been extended to 25 days from the last delivery. Despite the state government maintaining adequate stock, reports of LPG shortages have surfaced across Madhya Pradesh over the past three days.
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