Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 19 Mar: Cracking down on LPG black marketing and irregularities in supply, the Dehradun District administration has deployed officers at every gas agency across the district to ensure strict compliance with home delivery norms and monitor all activities in real time.The district administration has intensified surveillance over gas agencies, with officers now deployed at each agency to monitor every activity and ensure strict compliance with home delivery norms. The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting chaired by District Magistrate (DM) Savin Bansal at the District Collectorate, today.
The meeting was attended by officials of the Quick Response Team (QRT), district-level officers, owners of the gas agencies and the representatives of oil companies. The move comes amid rising concerns over backlog, distribution lapses and complaints of illegal diversion of cylinders, prompting authorities to tighten enforcement and enhance accountability at the agency level.
During the meeting, the DM directed that strict monitoring be ensured at all gas agencies, with designated officials tasked to keep a close watch on stock, supply, distribution and backlog, and to submit daily reports in a prescribed format. Emphasising accountability, he instructed that details of seized LPG cylinders be obtained agency-wise and that agencies linked to illegal activities identified. He further directed the police to trace the origin of illegally seized cylinders and register cases against the agency owners concerned, with clear instructions to ensure their arrest and imprisonment.
Taking serious note of the growing backlog in LPG distribution, Bansal also sought an explanation from oil company officials, who attributed the issue to a temporary failure in the booking software for three days, during which manual distribution was carried out. It was stated that over 25,000 such manual entries are yet to be updated in the system. Additionally, changes in booking timelines from 11 March, extending delivery periods to 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas, have contributed to the backlog figures due to advance bookings being reflected in the system.
The DM also directed the District Supply Officer (DSO) to ensure that all pending manual entries are updated in the software by the evening, failing which strict action will be initiated against the agencies and oil companies. He also instructed that a separate report be submitted detailing the number of consumers falling under the 25-day and 45-day advance booking categories.
Further directions were issued to ensure that LPG cylinders are supplied strictly through home delivery based on OTP authentication, and that no cylinders are handed over directly from agencies or godowns. Agencies have been asked to prominently display consumer awareness information, booking numbers and guidelines in large print for public convenience.
The administration’s enforcement drive has already yielded results, with five cases registered against those involved in LPG black marketing and three persons sent to jail, with a total of 296 cylinders seized, including 150 domestic, 139 commercial and seven small cylinders. The intensified action by the QRT, including surprise inspections and strict enforcement measures, has reportedly created a sense of fear among those engaged in illegal practices.
The officials have claimed that the introduction of a streamlined home delivery mechanism has also helped reduce crowding at gas agencies, thereby improving public convenience and aiding in better maintenance of law and order. The district administration has reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparent and efficient LPG distribution, warning that any violation of norms will invite stringent action.
Among those present at the review meeting chaired by the DM were ADM Finance and Revenue KK Mishra, SP City Pramod Kumar, City Magistrate Pratyush Singh, Municipal Commissioner, Rishikesh, Gopal Ram Binwal, SDMs Harigiri, Aparna Dhandiyal and Apoorva Singh, DSO KK Agarwal, Project Director, DRDA, Vikram Singh, District Development Officer (DDO) Sunil Kumar, along with QRT officials and representatives of oil companies and gas agencies. Sub-Divisional Magistrates from Rishikesh and Vikasnagar, along with other officials and company representatives, also participated through virtual mode.
