Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday sought to reassure residents of Assam that there is no shortage of cooking gas in the state, as concerns about LPG availability spread following disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
"There's no immediate concern about LPG availability in Assam," Sarma said, appealing to people not to resort to hoarding and to continue purchasing as usual. He also urged the public to avoid spreading or believing rumours about an LPG shortage.
The Chief Minister said the state government has been closely monitoring the situation and that the Government of India is in active contact with several countries to ensure an uninterrupted supply of LPG and is taking steps to prevent any disruption in the supply chain.
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A review meeting was held at Loksewa Bhawan, presided over by Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, in the presence of the Director General of Police and senior officers from the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Department, along with representatives of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) operating in Assam.
Officials were instructed to closely monitor the situation at their respective levels, and cooperation from all departments was sought for crisis management if required. The meeting also resolved to appeal to consumers not to fall prey to rumours or fake news regarding LPG supplies.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Government of India convened a video conference in which Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police from all states participated, alongside senior officers from the Home and Political Department, the Department of Consumer Affairs, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, to review the current status of LPG and petroleum products across the country.