PARADIP: Migrant workers engaged in industrial hubs of Paradip and other parts of Jagatsinghpur district are being forced to return to their native places due to the alleged shortage of LPG, triggered by the war in West Asia.
Several contract agencies engaged with industrial units such as IFFCO, Paradeep Phosphates Limited (PPL), IOCL’s Paradip Refinery and Paradip Port Trust are reportedly facing operational challenges as workers struggle to access LPG for cooking.
Many workers have either stopped work or returned to their native places, planning to come back only after the supply situation improves. Prices of small 5 kg cylinders have surged from around `500 to as high as `3,000 in the open market, making them unaffordable for unregistered users. Satish Sharma, a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh employed with a construction agency at IOCL, said LPG is being supplied only to registered consumers. “We used to run a group mess, but due to non-availability of LPG, it has been shut for a week. I have returned to my native village to work as a daily wager,” he said.
Another migrant worker from Bihar said many workers are being forced to purchase LPG cylinders at inflated prices between Rs 2,800 and Rs 3,000.
Although the government has assured that domestic LPG supply will be prioritised, reports of shortages have triggered black marketing in several parts of Paradip and the district. While the Centre has reportedly announced distribution of 30,000 small 5 kg cylinders for migrant workers, these are yet to reach Paradip and other areas.
According to official data, there are 3,47,436 registered LPG consumers in the district, served by IOCL, BPCL and HPCL through 30 gas agencies. As per the latest reports, domestic LPG stock stood at 4,459 cylinders with IOCL, 675 with BPCL and 3,676 with HPCL.
Commercial LPG stock was significantly lower, with 252 cylinders available with IOCL, none with BPCL and 95 with HPCL. Stocks of 5 kg cylinders were also minimal, with IOCL holding five, BPCL six and HPCL 106 cylinders. Most gas agencies in Paradip reportedly have no stock of either 5 kg or commercial LPG.
Secretary of the PPL township gas agency Pratap Padhi said there is no stock of commercial or 5 kg LPG cylinders, though domestic supply remains relatively stable. Santosh Kumar Panigrahy, owner of Sarala Enterprises, said his agency has only six 5 kg cylinders available to meet demand.
Sumit Senapati, chief general manager (HR) of PPL, said their canteen contractor is purchasing LPG at nearly `3,000 per cylinder, compared to the usual `1,500. Divisional labour commissioner Baba Ananda Ranjan Das said no formal reports of reverse migration have been received so far. “Workers are free to move as per their wish. The LPG shortage will be addressed by the department concerned,” he added.