In light of the ongoing crisis in West Asia, the Union Government has urged the public not to pay attention to rumors of oil and gas shortages. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas reiterated that necessary measures are being taken to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and LPG across the country.
Avoid panic buying
According to the government, citizens should avoid panic purchases of fuel and unnecessary reservations of LPG cylinders. For booking LPG cylinders, the ministry has urged the public to use digital modes and avoid visiting distributors unless necessary.
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Use alternative fuels
Further, the ministry said people should use alternative fuels such as PNG, induction and electric cooktops wherever possible and make necessary efforts to conserve energy in daily use.
Alternative fuels such as kerosene and coal have been offered to reduce pressure on LPG demand, the ministry said.
The government also said states have been advised to facilitate new PNG connections for both domestic and commercial consumers.
Intervention on LPG accumulation
Under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and the LPG Control Ordinance, 2000, state governments are empowered to crack down on hoarding and black marketing.
The Center has directed states and union territories to take strict action against hoarding and black marketing of petroleum products and LPG.
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All states and UTs to intensify enforcement, conduct daily raids and checks in coordination with oil marketing companies and maintain strict vigilance against misuse and misinformation.
States have also been directed to institutionalize daily press briefings, set up control rooms and helplines and proactively counter fake news to reassure the public about fuel availability.
Preference is given to domestic LPG and PNG along with hospitals and educational institutions, according to the ministry.
Domestic production of LPG
As for domestic production, the government said all refineries are operating at high capacity and have sufficient oil reserves. The country also maintains ample supplies of gasoline and diesel.
“Domestic production of LPG from refineries has been increased to support domestic consumption,” the government said.
Safety of Indian seafarers
According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, it closely monitors shipping movement, port operations and the safety of Indian seafarers while ensuring the continuity of maritime trade.
“All Indian seafarers in the region are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the last 24 hours,” the ministry said.
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It also said that a total of 18 Indian-flagged vessels with 485 Indian sailors currently remain in the western Persian Gulf region.
The Directorate General of Shipping has so far facilitated the safe repatriation of over 1,130 Indian seafarers, including 155 in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.
Key things
- The government is actively managing fuel supplies to prevent fuel shortages amid the crisis in West Asia.
- Citizens are encouraged to conserve energy and use alternative fuels where possible.
- Strict anti-hoarding and misinformation measures are in place to maintain public confidence.
