By Arun Pratap SinghGarhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 18 Mar: A continuing shortage of LPG cylinders in Dehradun has disrupted daily life, with rising demand outpacing supply despite intensified efforts by the district administration and the gas agencies. While authorities have stepped up monitoring and distribution, the situation remains under strain, with a substantial backlog yet to be cleared.
In other districts, particularly the hill districts, the situation is reported to be even worse. Similar reports are being received from districts like Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar and cities like Haldwani.
Yesterday, more than 12,000 domestic LPG cylinders were delivered across the district, offering partial relief to consumers. In addition, 136 commercial consumers were also supplied cylinders. However, nearly 75,000 domestic consumers remain in the backlog, which indicate the scale of the crisis. On the other hand, District Magistrate Savin Bansal has stressed that there is no shortage of gas and that the supplies are being delivered gradually and nodal officers have been deployed to streamline the process.
The key challenge continues to be the sharp increase in demand. On 16 March alone, around 19,000 bookings were recorded, far exceeding normal levels. Currently, more than 15,000 bookings are being made daily, making it difficult to significantly reduce the backlog. Many consumers are facing waiting periods of three to five days, while delays in some areas are reported to be even longer.
The shortage has begun to impact both households and small businesses. Several eateries and tea stalls are facing operational difficulties, with some reducing menu items due to limited LPG availability. The price of a cup of tea has increased from Rs 10 to Rs 15 in certain locations, allegedly due to higher input costs. At the household level, families are being forced to adopt alternative arrangements, including reliance on outside food, leading to increased expenditure. Induction cookers are also now being used by the families in large numbers just to save on the gas.
To address the situation, the administration has constituted area-wise Quick Response Teams (QRTs) to monitor gas agencies and oversee supply, stock and distribution. These teams are also ensuring that home delivery systems are functioning properly, following earlier complaints that consumers were being compelled to collect cylinders directly from agencies.
The district control room has been fully activated to handle grievances, with ADM KK Mishra supervising operations. Helpline numbers 1077, 0135-2626066, 2726066 and WhatsApp number 7534826066 have been issued for public assistance. By Tuesday evening, 35 complaints related to LPG supply had been registered and promptly addressed by the authorities.
The administration has stressed transparency and warned of strict action against any instances of black marketing or artificial scarcity. Vigilance has been intensified, with regular inspections of agencies and monitoring of delivery mechanisms.
In a related action, a QRT team conducted a raid in the Lakkarghat area of Rishikesh and recovered 135 commercial LPG cylinders from a shop which had its shutters down. A case has been registered against the person concerned after irregularities were detected, and officials have indicated that such enforcement drives will continue.
While the delivery of over 12,000 cylinders does indicate some progress, the backlog of 75,000 consumers remains a major concern. At the same time, the administration has expressed confidence that with sustained efforts and enhanced supply, the situation will improve in the coming days, although residents continue to face difficulties at present.
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