Chandigarh, March 17 LPG distributors based in Punjab said on Tuesday that there was an "inadequate" supply of LPG, despite the Union government and oil marketing companies claiming adequate availability, and demanded an increase in cooking gas supplies to clear the backlog.
Addressing the media here, Federation of LPG Distributors of Punjab president Gurpal Singh Mann claimed that a sudden increase in LPG prices – Rs 60 per domestic cylinder and Rs 115 per commercial cylinder – created panic among consumers who apprehended a possible supply shortage.
Instead of stabilizing the situation, subsequent measures added to confusion and anxiety, he said.
"The imposition of discriminatory booking intervals, once every 25 days for urban consumers and once every 45 days for rural consumers, has raised serious concerns," he said.
If there is no shortage, as being officially stated, such restrictive measures are difficult to justify, Mann claimed.
He further said the temporary suspension of LPG booking channels for 3-4 days further aggravated the situation, leaving distributors to face public pressure without clarity or support.
"This has resulted in a surge of pending bookings, while supply from bottling plants remains insufficient to meet even existing demand," he said.
The association claimed that while the statements by the government and the state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) indicate adequate availability, the LPG distributors are facing mounting backlogs and inadequate supply.
The gap between assurances and actual delivery is eroding public trust, he said.
Restrictive booking policies, suspension of booking systems, and sudden price hikes have collectively contributed to panic among consumers, creating a perception of scarcity similar to crisis situations witnessed during the COVID-19 period, he said.
Mann claimed that they are not being provided clear, timely information regarding supply schedules or policy decisions, leaving them unable to respond effectively to public concerns.
Mann said there are a total of 980 LPG distributors in Punjab, catering to 96 lakh customers.