Chhatarpur (MP), March 12 Authorities have seized 38 domestic LPG cylinders during raids conducted over the past two days in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, in the Bundelkhand region bordering Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Thursday.
The raids came amid reports of a shortage of cooking gas cylinders for the past three days due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has disrupted global energy supplies.
Long queues have been reported outside several LPG agencies in the state. However, the Centre has asserted that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, or LPG in the country.
The raids were conducted after the Chhatarpur district administration asked officials to take strict action against black marketing, illegal storage, and misuse of domestic LPG cylinders.
In the latest action on Thursday, a joint team of revenue and food departments seized 13 empty LPG cylinders from a water plant in Bilhari village of the Nowgong area, said the officials.
The cylinders were being stored illegally and were being traded for commercial use, they said.
The raid was conducted under the leadership of Sub-Divisional Magistrate G S Patel, following instructions from in-charge district collector Namah Shivay Arjariya.
In another raid on Wednesday, officials seized 25 LPG cylinders from a house in Vishwanath Colony in Chhatarpur town.
District Food Officer Sitaram Kothare said that authorities acted on a complaint about the illegal storage of cylinders at the residence of a retired teacher, Shyamlal Ahirwar.
A team comprising the local tehsildar, naib tehsildar, and a food inspector raided the house and seized 25 cylinders – 22 empty and three filled. Legal action has been initiated against the accused under the Petroleum Act, Kothare added.