451 illegally-stored LPG cylinders, goods worth Rs 40.61 lakh seized in Mumbai
Mumbai: In a major crackdown against the black marketing of essential commodities in Mumbai, the Rationing Department has busted an operation involving the illegal storage and transportation of LPG cylinders, officials said on Saturday. A total of 451 LPG cylinders have been recovered.
During this operation, conducted in the Wadi Bunder area of Dongri, goods worth over Rs 40 lakh were seized, and eight vehicles were intercepted, the authorities stated.
According to the officials, this action was initiated based on confidential Intelligence received by the Controller of Rationing and the Director of Civil Supplies. Given the gravity of the matter, special directives were issued immediately, following which the department’s Flying Squad launched a well-coordinated operation.
During the raid, conducted near the Wadi Bunder Bridge in Dongr, officials intercepted eight vehicles that were illegally transporting gas cylinders. An inspection of these vehicles led to the recovery of a total of 451 LPG cylinders.
The total estimated value of the seized cylinders and vehicles stands at approximately Rs 40.61 lakh. According to officials, these cylinders were being transported without valid documentation and were intended for use in black market or illegal supply operations, officials added.
The Mumbai Police have registered a case in connection with this matter and have initiated an investigation.
Meanwhile, in Friday’s Press briefing, the Petroleum Ministry clarified that domestic LPG cylinder deliveries remain normal, and no dry-outs have been reported at LPG distributorships even as LPG supply continues to be affected by the prevailing geopolitical situation.
As many as 4.05 lakh PNG connections have been gasified, and about 4.41 lakh additional customers have also registered for new connections.
Consumers are encouraged to use alternative fuels such as PNG and electric cooktops. All citizens are urged to conserve energy during the current situation.
Citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and LPG and rely only on official sources for information. LPG consumers are requested to use digital booking platforms and avoid visiting distributors.
Online LPG bookings have increased to about 98 per cent, with Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) based deliveries rising to around 92 per cent to prevent diversion at the distributorship level.
Despite the ongoing geopolitical situation, the Government has prioritised domestic LPG and PNG supply, particularly for hospitals and educational institutions.
Enforcement actions continue across the country to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG. More than 3,800 raids were conducted, and about 450 cylinders were seized across the country on Thursday.
To date, around 1.2 lakh raids have been conducted, over 57,000 cylinders have been seized, more than 950 FIRs have been registered, and 229 people have been arrested.
Public sector Oil Marketing Companies have strengthened surprise inspections and issued over 2,100 show-cause notices, imposed penalties on 204 LPG distributorships and suspended 53 distributorships.
More than 18,000 PNG consumers have surrendered their LPG connections via MYPNGD.in website
States have also been advised to facilitate the new PNG connections for both domestic and commercial consumers.
All refineries are operating at high capacity, with adequate crude inventories in place. The country is also maintaining sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel. Domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased to support domestic consumption, a statement said.