AGARTALA, July 4 (TIWN): As the bullets are unable to arrive in the state LPG crisis have taken a bad shape over past few days. Consumers are seen waiting outside the agencies for collecting their cylinders but as the bullets are not arriving in the state the agencies are unable to supply the cylinders to the consumers, said Food and Civil supplies Director Soumitra Banerjee.

He also said that nothing can be said when the crisis will meet an end.    

The crisis of LPG cooking cylinder has turned from bad to worst situation. Weekly, there should be bottling of 1 lakh cylinder in an average rate but recently less amount of bottling are done.

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

Apart from irregular bottling at the plant, the bulk is also not reaching the state.

The total number gas agencies are being increased to 46 but the main gas bottling plant in Bishalghar is unable to cope with the ongoing cylinder demands. In such situation the rampant black marketing of LPG cylinders have gripped the state alarmingly.

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.

Taking full advantage of the current situation, black-marketers are making money by selling a gas cylinder almost double its price in the market.

Weekly, there should be bottling of 1 lakh cylinder in an average rate but recently bottling are unable to be done due to the lack of bullets.

With irregularities in the bottling plant, the consumers of the LPG cylinders are facing the crisis. As the agencies are not provided with the cooking gas cylinder they are unable to supply it to the consumers.

Reportedly, the state requires over 1, 72,535 cylinders every month. The total number of gas agencies is being increased to 46. In such position, the two LPG bottling plants at Bishalgarh and Kalagachhia in West Tripura district are unable to cope with the rising demand for LPG cylinders.

As a result, a huge backlog has been created all over the state. However, there is no assurance when will the crisis of LPG cylinders will come to an end.