Gujarat Assembly: Govt says no fuel shortage in Gujarat, warns against hoarding

Gandhinagar: The state govt on Wednesday said there was no shortage of fuel in Gujarat and cautioned that strict action will be taken against hoarding and attempts to create artificial scarcity.The statement was made by energy and petrochemicals minister Rushikesh Patel during a special discussion on a "matter of urgent public importance" under Rule 116 of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly Rules.Speaking in the House after MLAs raised concerns over the supply of petrol, diesel and cooking gas, Patel said the long queues at fuel stations in several parts of the state were due to rumours rather than any actual shortage."There is no shortage of petrol and diesel in the state. Adequate steps have been taken to ensure continuous supply to petrol pumps," Patel said, adding that citizens should not believe rumours. According to the minister, fuel pumps sold "nearly four to five times" their normal daily volumes over the past couple of days.Patel said that despite the panic buying of petrol and diesel, supply remained stable, indicating that there was adequate buffer stock in the state.The minister said that to prevent mismanagement, fuel stations have been directed to fill petrol and diesel directly into vehicle tanks. Sales in containers have been permitted only for farmers and mobile towers.Reading out a statement in the House, the minister said action will be taken against anyone found hoarding fuel or creating artificial shortages. He added that an FIR was lodged against a petrol pump owner in Rajkot for allegedly spreading rumours.The minister also spoke on the availability of LPG and PNG, stating that despite global disruptions due to the West Asia crisis, the state is well prepared. "The state has an extensive PNG network of nearly 37 lakh domestic consumers, and in the past 12 days, about 12,000 new PNG connections have been registered. We are prioritising connections for households, hotels, hospitals, canteens and educational institutions," Patel said.On LPG supply, the minister said no cuts have been made in domestic LPG supply. He added that police officials have been instructed to ensure unhindered movement of LPG transport vehicles, while continuous checks are being conducted across the state to curb hoarding.Congress MLA Shailesh Parmar, however, claimed that despite the govt's assurance of sufficient stock, people on the ground — including small businesses and those dependent on commercial gas — are facing difficulties. Responding to this, the minister said the state govt was working in close coordination with the Centre to ensure sustained fuel supply.