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Bihar Sets Up Control Room for LPG Relief Amid Consumer Concerns

The Bihar Department of Food and Consumer Protection has established a control room in Patna to address public grievances related to oil and LPG availability. The control room will operate daily from 7 AM to 9 PM, providing a dedicated contact number for consumers to report issues. Despite district officials claiming adequate stock, tense scenes and long queues were reported in several districts including Katihar and Sasaram, with one woman fainting in a crowd. In Araria, authorities seized 135 illegally hoarded cylinders in a major raid aimed at curbing black marketing.

Key Points: Bihar LPG Control Room for Consumer Grievances & Relief

  • 24/7 grievance redressal for LPG issues
  • Raids seize 135 illegally hoarded cylinders
  • Long queues reported despite official claims
  • Special focus during Ramadan requirements
2 min read

Bihar: Control room set up to provide relief to oil and LPG consumers

Bihar establishes a control room in Patna to address LPG cylinder shortages and complaints. Contact number and operational details inside.

"The administration is keeping a strict watch on hoarders and black marketers. - Tyagarajan SM"

Patna, March 13

Amid concerns over the availability of cooking gas across Bihar, the Department of Food and Consumer Protection, Bihar, has set up a control room in Patna to address public grievances related to oil and Liquefied Petroleum Gas.

The control room has been established to provide prompt assistance to consumers facing difficulties in obtaining LPG cylinders.

It will remain operational daily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, during which residents from across the state can lodge complaints or seek information regarding LPG availability and distribution.

Consumers can contact the departmental control room at 0612-2233050 to report issues.

Officials said the department will take immediate cognisance of complaints and ensure necessary action is taken.

The department has also urged people not to panic and instead contact the control room for quick resolution of their problems.

Meanwhile, Tyagarajan SM, the District Magistrate of Patna, said there is no shortage of LPG in the district.

He added that the administration is keeping a strict watch on hoarders and black marketers, while a control room has been established to address public grievances.

However, the situation appeared tense in Katihar, where long queues formed outside gas agencies despite the administration claiming that adequate stock was available and that reports of shortages were merely rumours.

Amid the crowd of people waiting to refill their cylinders, one woman reportedly fainted.

In Araria, the administration conducted a major raid under the leadership of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and seized 135 LPG cylinders allegedly stored illegally for black marketing.

Officials said the cylinders were recovered from a warehouse where they had been hoarded.

A similar situation was witnessed in Sasaram, where consumers gathered outside gas agencies from early morning.

Many residents said they had been standing in queues since 5:00 AM, waiting to refill their LPG cylinders.

Hundreds of people carrying cylinders were seen outside several agencies.

Locals said the shortage was causing difficulties, particularly as the holy month of Ramadan is currently underway, and families require cooking gas for daily meals.

The administration has assured that strict action will be taken against hoarding and black marketing, while efforts are being made to ensure smooth LPG supply across the state.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The timing is terrible with Ramadan going on. Many families need gas for sehri and iftar. The administration says there's no shortage, but the long queues tell a different story. Raids are good, but prevention is better. Why do these hoarders operate freely until there's a crisis?
R
Rahul R
My mother had to stand in line for 4 hours in Sasaram yesterday. She is 65. This is not just about gas, it's about the dignity of our elders. The control room must prioritize complaints from senior citizens and ensure home delivery where possible.
A
Aman W
Respectfully, this feels like a reactive measure, not a proactive one. A control room after people are fainting in queues? The system should have been monitored better. The DM says no shortage, but 135 cylinders seized in one raid? That's a major supply disruption right there.
N
Nisha Z
Good initiative. At least there's a dedicated number now (0612-2233050). Hope they have enough staff to handle the calls. In Patna, our delivery was delayed by 2 days but we got it. The situation seems worse in the districts. Solidarity with people in Katihar and Araria.
D
David E
Working in Patna on a project. Interesting to see the state machinery respond. The 7 AM to 9 PM window is practical. The key will be coordination between this control room and the district supply chains. Hope the action against black marketers is sustained, not just a one-time raid.

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