Bisma Bhat
Srinagar, Mar 04: Due to frequent closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway, Kashmir is currently facing worst Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) shortage in 15 years.
“For the first time in last 15 years, Kashmir is facing such a dearth of LPG supply,” said Proprietor of Kashmir Gas Agency, Jagmohan Singh Raina.
He said presently there is zero stock of LPG available with the Indian Oil distributors in the valley including Kupwara, Baramulla, and Pulwama.
Raina said that government has failed to maintain the highway. “Every year, landslides occur frequently from that side due to which road is closed to avoid any accidents which results in the scarcity of utilities,” said Raina.
He said that the main reason behind the scarcity of petroleum products is that all the loaded trucks are allowed through the Patnitop from Jammu and not allowed through the newly constructed Chenani-Nashri Tunnel.
Due to shortage of cooking gas, people are facing immense hardships. “I have been looking for the gas cylinder for a month but there has been no supply with the nearby dealer, “said Sheikh Ashraf, a Nawabazar resident.
Another resident of Karanagar area, Abdul Majeed said that cooking gas is a basic need in every household. “I was running out of LPG in my home and it took me three weeks to get a cylinder not from the dealer but from one of my relative. There is no stock of gas available with the dealers.”
Speaking to The Kashmir Monitor, Joint Director Consumer Affairs and Public Distributor, Nazir Mir admitted that there is acute shortage of LPG in the valley.
Blaming harsh winter for the closure of road which leads to the shortage of LPG, he said that government is continuously monitoring the supply.
“We will ensure that the supply reaches the Srinagar as soon as possible and meet the needs of people,” he said.
Adv Ganai urges FCI, Oil Cos to quickly push supplies to Valley
Jammu, Mar 04: Advisor to Governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, Monday directed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Coordinator of Public Sector Oil Companies at Jammu to quickly push supplies to the Kashmir Valley to take maximum advantage of the fair weather conditions forecast for the next few day till March 9.
Ganai, who is in-charge of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department, was informed by the Coordinator of PSU Oil Companies, Rajiv Yadav, that about 2500 KL of petrol, 2500 KL of diesel and LPG for over one lakh cylinders are in the transit but due to frequent closure of Jammu-
Srinagar National Highway, supplies are not reaching in time.
In view of the shortages of foodgrains and petroleum products in the Valley, the Advisor asked the Traffic and National Highway authorities to facilitate swift movement of trucks so that supplies reach in time. Several drivers of Valley-bound trucks have demanded that they should be given preference by the traffic authorities to move towards Srinagar on the National Highway. There have been reports that truckers are stranded at various locations on the Highway and not allowed to move to Srinagar in a hassle-free manner.
The Advisor assured the truckers that he will take up the matter with the Traffic and National Highway authorities for early redress.
