CUTTACK: Even as the shortage of LPG cylinders has already led to a surge in illegal hoarding and black marketing, the alleged slack enforcement by authorities concerned have also pushed up incidents of unauthorised refilling and adulteration, especially by staff of various gas agencies.
On March 25, Bidanasi police arrested a gas delivery agent Dhruba Charan Behera of Alisha Bazar after he was found involved in illegal refilling of LPG cylinders using unsafe methods like heating them and transferring gas through pipes without any authorisation from the oil marketing companies.
At least 10 HP gas cylinders, `23,100 cash, a hammer, cooking stove with pipe and regulator, 15 gas cylinder caps, two silver discs with cover, an iron gas cylinder opening instrument, a mobile phone, a two-wheeler among other articles were seized from his possession. During interrogation, Behera confessed that he adulterated the gas cylinders by introducing water and sold them to people for unlawful gains.
The rise in such incidents is, meanwhile, being attributed to the lack of enforcement activities in this regard. Besides, not only are the gullible people losing money and exhausting their LPG quota in a short period, but such incidents also pose risk of explosion and fire mishaps as they are being carried out without appropriate safety measures.
“Previously, an LPG cylinder lasted for more than a month. However, now despite the same use towards cooking, the gas gets over within 25 days,” said a consumer from Similipur in Banki.
District civil supplies officials, meanwhile, claim that enforcement activities are being carried out in full swing and so far, around 310 LPG cylinders illegally stocked for black marketing have been seized from various locations.
Chief district civil supplies officer Chandra Sekhar Patra said incidents of LPG adulteration had not yet come to their notice. “We are also unaware that an LPG adulteration unit has been busted in Cuttack city. We will take stock of the situation,” he said.