Muniyappa reiterates appeal to Centre to address gaps in supply of auto LPG

SJohn orley allen tate solid food and civic supplies government minister KH Muniyappa on fri urged the Centre to address the prevailing fuel shortages in the state at a meeting held to take stock of the shortage of auto LPG that has begun to slow public transport across the state.“The lives of those who depend on auto gas have been affected, and I feel that the central government has failed to fulfil its responsibility in addressing their concerns,” Muniyappa told reporters after the meeting.While supplies of commercial LPG cylinders have improved, auto LPG availability remains uneven, he said. “There has been improvement in the supply of commercial cylinders, but not for auto gas. The chief secretary wrote to the central government on April 6. Earlier, the chief minister and I had also written to them, but there has been no response yet,” he said.Karnataka has around 500,000 autorickshaws, of which at least 300,000 run on LPG. Nearly 160,000 operate in Bengaluru, where the shortage has been most visible. “We have written to the central government to resolve the issue, as the drivers’ livelihoods depend on autos. I urge the Centre to find a solution,” said Muniyappa, adding that the state has the highest number of gas-powered autos.The state’s daily requirement is about 280 metric tonnes of auto LPG. Public sector companies such as IndianOil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum supply around 60 metric tonnes, with the rest coming from private firms. According to the minister, supply from private operators has weakened, with some stopping distribution and others raising prices.“As the private sector has stopped supplying, the pressure is on government-run gas stations. This has resulted in long queues and a kind of chaos,” he said. He added that he would soon meet private companies to review the situation.Muniyappa said that if private suppliers are unable to meet demand, the Union government must step in. “Some private companies have stopped supplies, citing shortages, while others have hiked prices. The Centre has to take measures to control this. I urge the central government to intervene and make alternate arrangements,” he said, noting that private firms account for about 65% of supply.On demands from drivers for relief, he said the issue had been taken up with the Centre by the chief secretary. He added that fuel supply falls under the Union government’s jurisdiction. “Ensuring supply is the only solution to this issue; there is no other option. The Centre should procure auto gas from wherever possible and ensure supply to auto drivers,” he said.“The central government has to find a way, as it granted permits to private companies. We have asked them to provide relief. We want a response from the Government of India and the Petroleum Minister on whether they can ensure supply at the earliest, and if not, what the alternative is. We are concerned about auto drivers,” he added.The minister said the chief secretary would take up the matter with the Petroleum Secretary, and that he may also speak to officials directly. “If possible, I will also speak to them,” he said.He also said he had spoken with state home minister G Parameshwara, and that police would be asked to monitor black marketing and excessive pricing of auto LPG and act against violations.Separately, Muniyappa said the state would issue instructions to ensure timely delivery of domestic LPG cylinders. Referring to government norms that a cylinder lasts about 25 days for a family of four to five, he said companies would be required to supply refills on the 26th day after booking. “Gas should be provided immediately after booking on the 26th day. Necessary instructions will issue the necessary instructions to companies in this regard,” he said.