Jammu, Mar 11 ; Amid escalating global tensions and rising petroleum prices, panic buying of fuel and LPG cylinders has gripped several parts of the country, prompting the All-India LPG Federation to appeal for public restraint to prevent a supply crisis.
“The ongoing conflict is fundamentally economic rather than territorial. Many countries have been impacted, and it has affected the global economy,” All-India LPG Federation President Jagmohan Singh Raina told News Agency Kashmir News Service (KNS).
Raina attributed the current shortage to international developments, particularly the escalating hostilities with Iran, which he said had set the “whole area on fire” and directly impacted petroleum product supplies to India.
Raina said people were queuing up at petrol pumps across the country, not just to fill vehicles but also to store fuel in cans and bottles. “Gas agencies are facing a similar situation. People who already have two filled cylinders are demanding a third. This panic sale is visible across the national media — long lines at every petrol pump and gas agency,” he said.
The recent government price revision — a hike of approximately Rs 60 on domestic cylinders and Rs 140 on commercial cylinders — has added to the concerns. However, Raina expressed serious apprehension over restrictions on commercial LPG supplies, now primarily limited to hospitals and educational institutions.
“The biggest impact is on tourism. Jammu and Kashmir is a premier tourist destination, and all restaurants and hotels rely on commercial cylinders. Today, their supply has been choked,” Raina said, adding that the matter had been taken up with the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce, which has alerted both state and central governments.
With the holy month of Ramadan underway and Eid approaching, demand has surged further. Distributors are struggling to cope, with daily sales rising 1.5 times above normal. “Our delivery boys are being mobbed. I appeal to the public to refrain from panic purchases. Hoarding will only exacerbate the shortage,” Raina cautioned.
He urged the government to monitor hoarders and improve public communication to prevent artificial scarcity. “The government must regulate gas supply properly during Ramadan and Eid. A special effort is needed to save our tourism industry by relaxing restrictions on commercial cylinders for hotels and restaurants,” he added. (KNS).
