The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Saturday warned consumers against collecting or storing fuel in loose or unsuitable containers, saying such practices pose serious safety risks. In an advisory to citizens, it said petrol and diesel are sufficiently available at retail outlets across the country.
It comes after a senior oil ministry official said authorities had stepped up raids and carried out surprise inspections across the country to curb hoarding and black marketing, amid growing fears of cooking gas shortages caused by conflict in the Middle East.
The ministry also said that fuel retail outlets have been directed to strictly adhere to prescribed safety norms while dispensing fuel. He added that any violation of these guidelines would result in strict action.
“Petrol and diesel are reasonably available at retail outlets across the country. Consumers are advised not to take or store fuel in loose or inappropriate containers as it poses serious safety risks. Retail outlets have been instructed to strictly follow safety guidelines while dispensing fuel and any violation will attract strict action,” the ministry said on X.
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India relies heavily on imports to meet its energy needs, sourcing about 88 percent of its crude oil, 50 percent of its natural gas and nearly 60 percent of its LPG consumption from overseas markets.
Domestic production of LPG has increased, government says
Meanwhile, an official said LPG refill bookings have witnessed a surge due to consumer panic. She noted that bookings rose from around 75 million a day earlier to nearly 88 million, and urged people to place orders only when absolutely necessary.
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She pointed out that before the conflict, daily bookings were about 55 million bottles, while oil marketing companies delivered around 50 million bottles every day. Although delivery numbers remained unchanged, the increase in bookings put further pressure on the system.
The official further explained that the reservation restrictions are determined by the mandatory time interval between two deliveries. In urban areas, consumers can make a new reservation only after a minimum interval of 25 days from the previous supply, while in rural areas the interval is 45 days. She added that any attempt to book within this period will not be processed.
To reduce supply pressure, she said the government has stepped up domestic production of LPG.
“On the first day, we informed you about a ten percent increase in domestic production, then by 25 percent, then by 28 percent, and today the increase is 31 percent,” she said.
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Before the escalation of hostilities between the United States and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other on February 28, a significant share of these supplies came from West Asian countries. More than half of India’s oil needs, around 30 percent of its natural gas and nearly 85-90 percent of its LPG imports came from the region.
The conflict has effectively disrupted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route for energy supplies from the Gulf countries. Although India has been able to obtain oil from alternative suppliers such as Russia, the disruption in gas supplies has resulted in reduced availability for industrial consumers as well as commercial establishments, including hotels and restaurants.
