Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Oct 3: Kashmir is facing a shortage of LPG as bulk supplies failed to arrive for nearly two weeks, though distributors say the situation is being managed to prevent hardship as winter sets in.
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Distributors blamed last month’s prolonged closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, which remained blocked for nearly three weeks, for exhausting the Valley’s reserves.
They said authorities have yet to fully replenish supplies. Residents, however, complained that oil marketing companies (OMCs) have failed to deliver cylinders on time, raising concerns of deeper shortages if the situation persists.
Distributors said bulk orders were delayed for 12 to 20 days as vehicles could not load at bottling plants, leading to a drastic cut in supplies. “For IOC, we used to receive 25 loads a day, but now we are getting only eight. The rest has to come from Jammu, and each truck takes five to six days for a round trip,” one distributor explained.
Officials said the Valley requires around 100 loads of LPG daily, but only 20 are arriving at present. The shortfall has forced rationing, leaving consumers struggling. “The Pampore bottling plant caters to the entire Valley except South Kashmir, which depends on Jammu. If the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway gets blocked, Pampore also comes under pressure, creating a crisis,” another distributor said.
Ashfaq Ahmad of Kilo Gas Agency in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district said the disruption began nearly three weeks ago. “For 15-20 days, the Pampore plant had no supplies, and we had to depute all trucks to Jammu. There is still a shortage, but we are trying to mitigate it,” he said.
Dealers also pointed to mismanagement and seasonal hoarding. “In October and November, people procure extra cylinders for winter, but the company does not provide gas according to demand,” one dealer said.
Currently, private contractors ferry about eight truckloads daily from Anantnag, but distributors said the number should be increased to at least 13 to ease the crisis. “Had they enhanced capacity and arranged extra cylinders, the shortage could have ended,” another dealer argued.
With the Meteorological Department forecasting fresh snowfall in the coming days, distributors fear the situation may worsen if the Srinagar-Jammu highway closes again.
When contacted, Director of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Owaise Ahmad did not respond to repeated calls.
However, an official said that although there is LPG shortage, there is no crisis as there is enough stock available in the Valley.
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