AGARTALA, Nov 8 (TIWN): 5 days have been passed with acute petrol crisis situation, when maximum empty petrol pumps left with ‘No Petrol’ signs but the Ministers have no worry about it. 2 months long LPG crisis have added with the petrol crisis, which has turned the situation more pathetic. Since last Friday night the crisis began and since then long queues are observed before Agartala petrol pumps for 24 hours. Amidst rain falling public are waiting in long lines behind atleast 1000 people in fuel demand. For long 2 moths, Tripura had undergone acute fuel crisis in during July-August month which created riot like situation in state. No state might have suffered so much from petrol crisis as Tripura suffered. Many VIPs, foreign delegates observed the situation during their Tripura visit on that time. Tripura govt then had introduced the Odd-Even system in addition to the rationing of petrol and diesel due to extreme shortages. However, common people came on road on that time, burnt tires, blocked roads but then some unknown cadres were set before BOCs and forcefully those cadres stopped public’s mouths.

Moreover, it was found that in waist level water people are waiting with their bikes to pour 1 litre of petrol into their tankers. Is not it a shame for the ruling govt ?question remains.

On the other hand massive black marketing of fuel are going on in state, and sometimes fuel crosses the border also, said source.

In this situation public are now afraid whether the petrol crisis is returning back…?

On the other hand LPG crisis has gripped the state since 2 months, but in Tripura common people are not treated better than dogs and thus public spending 4 / 5 hours on road for a single cooking gas. Trinamool Pradesh Congress on Thursday held a protest rally from Agartala North Gate, protesting against the ongoing LPG crisis in state. A massive rally had began with the slogans to ‘diminish LPG crisis’ in state. Before 2 months, petrol crisishad hit the Cabinet of Manik Sarkar and now the LPG crisis has become state’s another major issue as Tripura two leading opposition parties already raised voice against the increasing black marketing of the Cooking gas, due to which the public’s agonies have no end. Tripura Govt sought permission to bring LPG via Bangladesh so that the crisis may end, but the ground reality behind this LPG crisis is different, which is ruled by blackers of cooking gas. On Oct 24, BJP supporters also hit the Gas Agency at Bhuturia, in Agartala. Asking the Manager of Apex Marketing about the crisis of LPG, the protesters demanded  1) To stop the black marketing of LPG soon, 2) The importing and distribution of LPG should be in balance, 3) To stop importing LPGs in the name of VIP quota, 4) To decrease the backlog with 15 days of gap, 5) To maintain the similarity between the online distribution of gas& real distribution, 6) To stop VIP quotas till the crisis ends. 

TIWN was informed by secret sources that in LPG black-market the price has gone upto Rs. 3000/-. The rate is getting up-down from Rs. 2200/- to Rs. 3000/. On the other hand the backlog problem of LPG & generating resentment among the common mass, has hit the cabinet also. Reportedly, already the state govt has written a letter to IOCL-MEA & also demand raised by Tripura Govt. that using Bangladesh land, the LPG should enter in Tripura.

But public alleged that the state government is not taking proper initiative to control the situation. The huge number of black marketing of LPG cylinder is the chief reason behind acute cooking gas shortage in the state, a customer told TIWN. 

Black marketers of domestic cooking gas cylinders seem to have devised new ways to carry out their activities, despite the introduction of the modified direct benefit transfer scheme for LPG.  

Tripura suffered a long from Petrol crisis but now people are unable to cook also due to the mentioned problem.  The gas agencies allegedly are doing excessive business with the black-marketing net across Tripura.