As several parts of the country reported shortage of commercial LPG supplies following the Middle East conflict, a tragic incident came from Punjab’s Barnala district where a 66-year-old man, identified as Bhushan Kumar Mittal, reportedly died of a heart attack while queuing at an LPG agency, according to The Indian Express.
Early in the morning, he went to an LPG distribution agency in Shehna block of Barnala district to get a gas cylinder. The report quoted sources as saying that he had been queuing since about 8:00 a.m. and received token number 25. After waiting for nearly two hours, he reportedly became exhausted and sat on a gas cylinder. Around 10 o’clock he suddenly collapsed.
He was taken to a local hospital, where doctors confirmed he had “brought death. Preliminary reports indicate the man suffered a cardiac arrest,” its sources said. His son Dev Raj informed the media that preparations for the autopsy were underway.
The head of the Congress reacts
Meanwhile, Congress leader Sukhwinder Singh Dhaliwal from Bhadaur constituency reacted to the incident and held the Center responsible for the circumstances. He stated that Mittal was a daily wage laborer who supported his family through hard work, the report said.
Dhaliwal also expressed his condolences to the bereaved family and described it as tragic that people were forced to stand in long queues for LPG cylinders, which he said contributed to the man’s death. He further appealed to the Central and Punjab governments to provide financial assistance to the bereaved family.
What is the LPG situation in Punjab?
Officials attribute growing public concern over LPG shortages to broader energy supply insecurity stemming from the ongoing conflict in West Asia involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The situation has raised fears of disruption to global fuel supply chains.
In Punjab, these anxieties have reportedly triggered a surge in consumer demand, with large numbers of people visiting gas distribution agencies to check their reservations or collect cooking gas cylinders.
Consumers have also raised complaints about the LPG online booking system, which reportedly started malfunctioning from the afternoon of March 11. As a result, many were forced to personally visit gas agencies to make reservations or receive supplies.
During Wednesday’s meetings with deputy commissioners from several districts, LPG vendors pointed out that the problems with the servers were causing considerable inconvenience to customers. They further said that even though the bookings were successfully completed, many consumers did not receive the mobile OTP required to confirm delivery, leading to further delays in bottle distribution.
“Directions have been issued to all deputy commissioners in Punjab to ensure that there is no shortage of LPG anywhere in the state. Strict action will be taken against anyone hoarding cylinders or selling them in the black market,” the Indian Express quoted Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann as saying.
The Punjab Assembly on the same day passed a resolution criticizing the Center over the LPG crisis. Ministers and MLAs from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the opposition Congress claimed that the conflict in West Asia has disrupted energy supply routes and adversely affected the availability of LPG in India. They also argued that the center has not effectively managed diplomatic relations in the region, which they say is vital to ensuring the country’s energy security.
