Dehradun, March 11 Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and the resulting disruption in gas supplies, the Uttarakhand government has begun preparations to provide firewood for commercial use if needed.
Uttarakhand Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said the current situation resembles a crisis scenario. "With war-like conditions prevailing in several Middle Eastern countries, a shortage of gas cannot be ruled out," he said.
To address the situation, instructions have been issued to the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation to ensure the availability of wood so that businesses can use it as an alternative fuel in case the gas shortage worsens.
The government on Tuesday reallocated the production of LPG, CNG, and piped cooking gas, which will take precedence over all other sectors using natural gas to ensure an uninterrupted supply for households and transport sectors.
As the widening conflict in West Asia disrupted 30 per cent of India's gas supply, the oil ministry, in a gazette notification, ordered available gas to be diverted from non-priority sectors to key users.
India meets half of its 191 million standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of gas consumption through imports. With the disruption of tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz, about 60 mmscmd gas from the Middle East has been disrupted.