AGARTALA, Nov 17 (TIWN): LPG cooking Gas crisis has worsened across the state, forcing the domestic users to hit the streets protesting against the acute shortage of LPG cooking gas cylinders at Barjala near R.K. gas agency on Tuesday.

The agitated consumer’s failing to collect their cylinders from the agency has hit the street and blocked the traffic movement for more than hours. The protest continued till 10 in the morning.

Consumers in Agartala are severely hit by the shortage of Liquid Petroleum gas (LPG) cooking gas cylinders over past many days.  As a result, black marketing is on the rise, with consumers forced to buy cylinders at prices ranging between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 a piece.

Long queues of people are seen outside R.K. gas agency at Barjala from Tuesday morning disturbing the swift movement of the traffic in the road.

Common men are paying almost more than double to buy a gas cylinder. People have been left with no option but to buy the LPG cylinder from the open market by shelling out more money.

These days hundreds of people are seen standing outside the gas agencies to seek a refill and to get their cylinder. Shortage of LPG has triggered spontaneous protests in many areas across the state. 

However, the consumers of R.k gas agency alleged that since last three months the consumers are not getting their booked cylinders and neither home delivery is available in the agency. The consumers further alleged that every time the agency makes a lame excuse that there is no adequate bulk of cylinders where as they are providing cylinders to those who are ready to buy in with higher range.

Acute crisis of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder is still continuing in Tripura, triggering huge backlog.

The total number gas agencies are being increased to 46 while the main gas bottling plant in Bishalghar is unable to cope with the ongoing cylinder demands.

Allegedly, scarcity of LPG cylinders continues to haunt consumers, particularly in central locations of the city, and there is no confirmed time when the problem of acute scarcity of cooking gas cylinder will come to an end. 

However, getting alarm the Deputy Food director rushed to the spot and after getting assurance from him the consumers withdrew their protest and let the traffic move swiftly.