Diwali Gas Crisis: Cylinder Bookings Pending, Consumers Face Growing Distress in Madhya Pradesh

MP News: Severe shortage of cooking gas in Jhabua district during the festive season. Around 2000 consumers have pending bookings due to a reduced supply from Indore.

LPG cylinder booking pending: The festive season is currently underway. With major festivals like Dhanteras, Diwali, and Bhai Dooj approaching, consumers are experiencing a higher demand for cooking gas. However, a shortage of LPG cylinder supplies from larger cities in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the Jhabua district wholesale consumer store has created a problem. This is causing consumers to face difficulties in obtaining gas cylinders. Approximately 2,000 bookings are currently pending at the store.

Due to increased demand and consumption of cooking gas before Diwali, a shortage is anticipated. Consumers are continuously booking refills as they are not arriving on time from larger cities in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the consumer store. After waiting for a week or 10 days for the refill, consumers are returning home disappointed after multiple visits to the store.

A notice regarding the refill shortage has been posted at the store's booking counter for the past week. The District Wholesale Consumer Store procures LPG gas. Consumers are facing problems due to the limited supply of both domestic and commercial gas cylinders.

More bookings, fewer refills

To avoid facing similar problems. In fact, the problem of gas cylinder shortage at the District Wholesale Consumer Store has persisted for the last 15 days. The issue has arisen because consumers are booking more refills during the festive season due to increased gas consumption, while the store is receiving fewer supplies from the gas company.

Previously, when a consumer booked a refill, it would be delivered to their home by delivery personnel the next day. Now, even after multiple visits to the consumer store and godown, refills are not available.

Gas cylinder lot arrived twice in 10 days

L.S. Rathore, the manager of the District Wholesale Consumer Store, stated that in the last 10-12 days, the store has received gas refill supplies from Indore, Madhya Pradesh, twice. One lot arrived on October 9 and the second on October 11. Previously, a lot of refills used to arrive daily. However, with vehicles arriving only 2-3 times in the last 10 days, the problem is escalating. Earlier, there were around 2,500 pending bookings for gas refills.

Currently, there are approximately 2,000 pending bookings, which will be gradually cleared as gas cylinder supplies arrive. The priority of the consumer store management is to clear all pending bookings before the Diwali festival and ensure that consumers do not face any gas-related issues.