Kerala sets up 24x7 LPG war room with surveillance, enforcement wings to address gas shortage

The Kerala government has constituted a 24x7 LPG war room to ensure uninterrupted availability and distribution of cooking gas across the state, amid supply chain constraints caused by the ongoing Middle East crisis.

The decision, communicated by the Food and Civil Supplies Department, is part of efforts to streamline LPG distribution, prevent shortages, and curb malpractices.

According to the government order, the existing war room will be expanded into a round-the-clock monitoring and coordination unit at both the State and district levels. "The Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs has submitted a proposal for the expansion of the existing War Room into a 24x7 LPG War Room at the State level and in all districts, as a coordination and monitoring unit for ensuring uninterrupted availability, equitable distribution and timely delivery of LPG," the statement said.

The war room will function from the Secretariat and be replicated across districts to enable real-time monitoring of LPG availability, distribution and delivery.

Dedicated verticals have been set up to oversee key areas, including LPG supply, PNG/CNG expansion, market surveillance, supply chain management, and enforcement.

The LPG wing will monitor the entire supply chain- from refilling and stock availability to delivery of domestic cylinders. It will track refill bookings, delivery timelines, and coordinate with oil marketing companies to ensure timely supply, especially to essential institutions. It will also address consumer grievances and flag abnormal booking patterns.

The PNG/CNG wing will focus on promoting gas-based alternatives to LPG, particularly among high-consumption commercial users, while tracking the expansion of piped gas infrastructure. This follows the government's recent directive to fast-track the City Gas Distribution (CGD) network in the state.

It will also identify and resolve bottlenecks related to permissions, land allocation, and inter-departmental clearances to ensure the timely execution of infrastructure projects, in line with demand management strategies.

The market surveillance unit will keep a check on the artificial scarcity of LPG. They will monitor pricing trends, demand patterns and potential irregularities to prevent hoarding, black marketing and artificial scarcity.

To ensure seamless distribution, a supply chain management unit has been tasked with reviewing stock availability at bottling plants, assessing bottling capacity, and ensuring balanced allocation across districts based on demand.

Additionally, a regulation and enforcement unit has been constituted to prevent malpractices in the LPG supply chain. It will take strict action against diversion and overcharging, while ensuring enforcement aligns with existing laws and is integrated with the war room's operations.