Use LPG for Home Only, Don’t Sell It: Distributors’ Association

The Andhra Pradesh LPG Distributors Association has urged domestic consumers to use LPG cooking gas cylinders strictly for household purposes to help manage supply efficiently. Association president K. Srinath Reddy appealed to households not to sell their cylinders to hotels or others, warning that such misuse could worsen supply issues.

He advised the public to remain cautious amid global fuel supply disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict involving the United States , Israel and Iran . According to him, some individuals are selling domestic cylinders for up to ₹2,000 each for profit. If such practices are avoided, the state has enough LPG stocks to meet demand for two to three weeks and supply could continue smoothly for nearly a month .

Under normal circumstances, about 2.6 lakh LPG cylinders are booked daily in the state. However, bookings crossed 3 lakh on Monday and Tuesday due to concerns over the international situation, while bookings on Wednesday were affected by software issues. Authorities also seized 170 domestic LPG cylinders stored in hotels during raids in Adoni and Mantralayam .

The temporary suspension of commercial LPG cylinder supply for two days has created difficulties for hotels and private hostels, particularly during the ongoing Class 10 and Intermediate examinations. In Singh Nagar , Vijayawada , a biryani hotel owner reportedly had to purchase a commercial LPG cylinder for ₹2,400 , about ₹1,100 higher than the usual price.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu clarified that there is no shortage of LPG in Andhra Pradesh and directed officials to coordinate with the Central Government to ensure uninterrupted supply. During a review at the District Collectors’ Conference in Amaravati , he also instructed officials to prevent black marketing of LPG cylinders and ensure that schools and hospitals receive gas supply without disruption.

Officials informed the Chief Minister that LPG supply to the state is being provided by public sector companies HPCL , IOCL and BPCL . Andhra Pradesh has more than 1.6 crore domestic LPG connections and nearly 10 lakh commercial connections. The state’s daily LPG requirement is around 4,000 tonnes , while about 21,500 tonnes of LPG stocks are currently available, ensuring adequate supply across the state.