Kolkata, March 12: The West Bengal government announced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on Thursday to ensure coordinated monitoring of LPG availability amid the ongoing crisis in the Gulf region. This initiative aims to stabilize supply and address public grievances swiftly.
According to a statement released by the state’s Information and Cultural Affairs Department, a State LPG Control Room will be established at the Nabanna Secretariat. This control room will serve as a central hub for coordination and monitoring.
The statement indicated that the control room will track LPG availability, stock levels, and distribution movements across the state. It will coordinate with districts, distributors, and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to resolve any issues. The control room will operate two dedicated helplines, available 24/7.
Additionally, a state-level committee, chaired by Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, will regularly review the supply situation and provide policy guidance to stabilize LPG availability across all sectors.
Meanwhile, a senior police officer announced that Kolkata Police has intensified surveillance to prevent black marketing of cooking gas due to concerns about potential supply disruptions stemming from tensions in West Asia. All police stations in the city have been instructed to closely monitor the movement and distribution of LPG cylinders.
To address any possible shortage of commercial cooking gas, the police have also decided to implement alternative cooking arrangements, such as induction cookers and microwave ovens, at police barracks.
This decision from the Lalbazar police headquarters came a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held an emergency meeting with LPG dealers to review the supply situation. On Wednesday, she blamed the central government for the crisis and indicated that she might lead a march in the city next Monday in protest against rising gas prices.
She stated that the situation arose due to the central petroleum ministry’s decision to extend the booking gap for gas cylinders to 25 days.
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P.S.K.
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