A month-long drive carried out in December saw the district supply officer seizing 500 gas cylinders in the rural areas and registering 25 FIRs in Bhor and Khed while in the city area 180 cylinders were seized as well one FIR was registered at the Kothrud police station.

"People were using domestic cylinders at restaurants, workshops as well as eateries. Our crackdown was aimed at curbing the use these domestic cylinders. We have also intimated tehsildars to cancel the licenses of these commercial establishments,'' said district supply officer (rural) Snehal Barge. "We found workshops and restaurants in Khed and Bhor taluka's misusing the domestic cylinders. Around 25 FIRs had to be filed against these establishment,'' Barge said.

While in the urban area, 186 cylinders were seized from Manglarwar Peth, Kasba Peth, Camp area, Kothrud, Yerwada and Hadapsar. According to S Kshirsagar, Food Grain distribution officer (urban) there is rampant use and such drives can curb the usage. "We have registered an FIR against an eatery for usage of 16 cylinders at the Kothrud police station.'' Domestic LPG is meant exclusively for household kitchens for which the government provides a huge subsidy and use of it in other purposes is totally illegal. The price of the domestic LPG is Rs 304 while for commercial purpose it is Rs 700 ,''said Barge. Another officer from the department adds that there should be checks at the sales and distribution office of the gas cylinders itself. "When the deploy their own officers for conducting checks and for issuing these cylinders, the officers at the gas distribution agencies can do the needful checks.