Maharashtra Federation Urges Government to Restore Kerosene in Cities Amid LPG Shortage
Office-bearers of the All Maharashtra Fair Price Shopkeepers' Federation have made a formal demand for the restoration of kerosene distribution in urban areas. This appeal comes as citizens face significant challenges in managing their daily cooking needs due to a severe shortage of domestic LPG cylinders.
Formal Representation Submitted to Food Minister
The federation has submitted a detailed memorandum to Chhagan Bhujbal, the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies. In their representation, they highlight the critical situation unfolding across Maharashtra's cities.
According to the memorandum, households are currently experiencing waiting periods of 25 to 30 days for LPG cylinder refills. Many families are failing to receive their refills on schedule, leading to widespread inconvenience. This issue is particularly acute for households that rely exclusively on LPG for all their cooking requirements.
Growing Distress and Urban Cooking Crisis
The federation reports that with firewood largely unavailable in most urban localities, preparing daily meals has become increasingly difficult. The situation has escalated to the point where long queues and even scuffles are being reported at various LPG distribution centers as residents desperately try to secure their cylinders.
Federation office-bearers Sanjay Patil, Dinesh Tanave, and Saiyyad Mustaq have jointly appealed to the government for urgent intervention. They emphasize the growing distress in urban areas and the need for immediate relief measures.
Call for Temporary Alternative Solution
While demands for restarting kerosene allocation in rural areas are already under government consideration, the federation is now urging authorities to extend the same relief to urban residents. They argue that kerosene distribution would serve as an essential temporary alternative until the LPG supply chain stabilizes.
"Kerosene distribution would act as a crucial stopgap measure," the federation representatives stated. "It would ease the burden on households currently facing unprecedented hardships in their daily cooking routines."
The organization believes that restoring kerosene supply in cities would provide much-needed relief to families struggling with the prolonged LPG shortage, offering a practical solution until normal cylinder distribution resumes.
