Owners of dhabas and hotels in Baddi are conveniently using these domestic cylinders in connivance with officials of the Food and Supply Department, in violation of laws. The difference of Rs 400 approximately in the cost of domestic and commercial cylinders is compounding the problem, and leading to black marketing of domestic cylinders in the region.

Despite repeated requests made by public representatives, officials of the department have failed to check the unauthorised use of cylinders in Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh. The situation is no different in the hilly areas of the Doon Assembly segment, especially in Patta (Mehlog) area, where the consumers have not received LPG supply for the past one month.

The average monthly requirement of the region is about 45,000 LPG cylinders. However, the concerned agencies are supplying only about 25,000 cylinders here.

Siphoning off these cylinders for commercial use further compounds the problem for domestic users. “Nearly 3,000 domestic cylinders are being used in commercial establishments across the district every day,” admitted an official with the Food and Supply Department, who did not want to be identified.

Balbir Thakur, president of the Nalagarh Panchayat Pardhan Association, agreed that the shortage of LPG cylinders is a serious problem in the area.

“The failure of the officials in initiating action against the violators and the inadequate number of gas agencies in the region has made black marketing of LPG cylinders a brisk trade,” he pointed out.

When contacted by Newsline, the dealer of a gas agency in the area denied the black marketing of LPG. He said the shortfall in supply earlier was due to the strike of truckers and oil companies and claimed that the situation had normalised now. He expressed ignorance over the misuse of domestic LPG by some commercial establishments.