More than half of Indian households said they face cuts in cooking gas supplies. Some even said they had to turn to the black market to get cylinders due to the shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders in the country last week, a LocalCircles survey found.
Consumers surveyed also reported that suppliers and intermediaries in their areas charge a surcharge ₹100 to ₹500 per cylinder. Meanwhile, there have been cases in Delhi-NCR where some gas agencies are charging as much ₹1,500-2,800 for a cooking gas cylinder, almost double the usual price.
The LPG bottle in India stands between ₹900 a ₹1,000, while a commercial gas cylinder costs between ₹1,800 a ₹2,200, according to OMC data.
As a result, many Indian households are struggling to find alternative cooking options and are relying on appliances such as induction cooktops. Meanwhile, restaurants have warned that gas disruptions could force them to cut back on menu options, raise prices or even temporarily close.
Anyone having trouble booking LPG cylinders?
The survey, which received responses from around 19,000 people, found that 43% reported no difficulty in reserving LPG cylinders for their home, with supplies arriving as usual.
The remaining respondents said they had to wait longer than usual. Some people also complained that they had to buy an LPG cylinder from the black market at higher prices, the survey found.
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According to Hindustan Times, on Thursday, senior Delhi Police officials directed their officers to prepare a list of gas agencies in their respective jurisdictions and deploy personnel to maintain law and order. The move is aimed at ensuring smooth distribution of LPG cylinders and preventing any attempt at black marketing during the supply shortage, police said on Thursday.
The disruption in LPG supplies is due to the ongoing conflict between US and Israeli forces against Iran, which has led to instability and partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz. It is the key sea route through which India gets 85-90% of its LPG imports from West Asian countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
What is the government doing to solve the situation?
India is experiencing a fourth straight day of LPG shortage, with disruptions reported in major cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai.
In response to the growing panic, the government ordered oil marketing companies to prioritize LPG supply to domestic consumers while advising states to monitor the situation and prevent hoarding or black marketing.
New Delhi invoked the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to prioritize LPG for households over commercial users. Refineries, meanwhile, are operating at full capacity and are focused on supplying increased production exclusively to domestic consumers. Additionally, the LPG cylinder reservation interval has been extended from 21 to 25 days to prevent hoarding, as reported by the media.
