NEW DELHI: As the ongoing conflict in West Asia continues to impact energy flows, the government on Sunday (March 22) said supply of LPG is still a concern in view of the prevailing geo-political situation.
Under the circumstances, citizens are encouraged to use alternate cooking options such as piped natural gas (PNG) and electric/induction cooktops, and to adopt energy conservation practices in daily use.
In view of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, steps have been taken to ensure stable availability of petroleum products and LPG across India, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Sunday.
Commercial LPG consumers in major cities and urban areas have been requested to switch to piped natural gas (PNG) and states have been advised to facilitate the new PNG connections for both domestic and commercial consumers, the Ministry stated.
In view of the evolving situation in West Asia, the Government of India continues to take proactive steps to ensure preparedness and response across critical sectors.
“City Gas Distribution (CGD) entities have also been advised by Govt. of India to prioritise piped natural gas (PNG) connections for commercial establishments such as restaurants, hotels and canteens across all their Gas, to address concerns regarding the availability of commercial LPG,” the Ministry said.
“Despite this war situation, the government has given highest priority to Domestic LPG and PNG, along with high priority to hospitals and educational institutions,” the Ministry said.
The government has already implemented several rationalisation measures on both the supply and demand side, including enhancing refinery production, increasing the booking interval from 21 to 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural areas and prioritising sectors for supply.
Alternate fuel options like Kerosene and coal have been offered to ease pressure on LPG demand. MoEFCC has already advised the State Pollution Control Board for permitting the use of kerosene and coal as alternate use.
The government is making all efforts to ensure availability and timely delivery of LPG cylinders to all households; citizens are advised to rely only on official sources and avoid rumours.
Consumers are requested to avoid panic bookings, use digital modes for booking, and not visit LPG distributors, as home delivery is being ensured despite isolated instances of queues.
The Ministry further stated that all refineries are operating at high capacity, with adequate crude inventories in place. The country is also maintaining sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel.
Domestic LPG Production from refineries has been maximised.
No cases of fuel dry outs have been reported at any of the retail outlets (ROs) by the Oil Marketing Companies.
The government reiterated its advice to the public not to resort to panic buying, as adequate stocks of petrol and diesel are available and supplies are being maintained regularly. - The Statesman/ANN
