Telangana Civil Supplies Department Confiscates 3,699 Illegal LPG Cylinders
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Hyderabad, April 3 (NationPress) In a decisive move against the hoarding and illicit trade of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), the civil supplies department of Telangana has confiscated 3,699 illegal domestic LPG cylinders since the crackdown commenced on March 12, officials reported on Friday.
Additionally, 70 small cylinders were also seized during this period. The total seizure spanned from March 12 to April 3.
An official statement revealed that the total value of the confiscated goods stands at Rs. 1.10 crore.
A total of 1,275 cases have been lodged under Section 6A of the Essential Commodities Act, with 216 FIRs registered to date.
This section empowers district Collectors to confiscate essential goods when there are suspicions of hoarding or black marketing.
Authorities are specifically targeting instances where domestic LPG cylinders are being repurposed for commercial uses.
The civil supplies department has reassured citizens that there is no shortage of domestic LPG available, while cautioning that any misuse would result in strict penalties.
Consumers have been urged to avoid panic buying, as it disrupts the efficient delivery system.
On average, leading oil marketing companies—Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)—supply approximately 2.15 lakh LPG cylinders daily within the state.
Civil supplies minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has confirmed that stocks of petroleum products are more than sufficient for the next three months. This statement follows a recent surge in panic buying of petrol and diesel at various outlets across the state.
However, the state is grappling with a shortage of auto LPG, which is creating significant challenges for autorickshaw drivers.
On March 31, he reached out to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, requesting an immediate increase in auto LPG supply to address the ongoing deficit.
The state is currently facing a daily shortfall of 55 MTs.
Reddy highlighted that the auto LPG sector has been severely affected, impacting nearly one lakh autorickshaws operating on LPG, disrupting public transport, and threatening the livelihoods of auto drivers and their families.