Hyderabad: Amid the ongoing gas crisis, several residents of Hyderabad reported that standard gas cylinders are now emptying within 18 to 20 days, however, agencies are strictly prohibiting new bookings until a 30-day window has passed.
The escalating Iran-US-Israel war continues to destabilise supply chains across the world, with India seeing a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder shortage in the commercial and now in the household sector as well. In response to the current situation, the regulations had already extended the booking window for new cylinders from 21 to 25 days for households.
However, the requirement seems to have now shifted to a full month, compared to the 25-day window, leaving many residents struggling to make ends meet.
The last two weeks saw an intense period of panic booking, and as the LPG crisis hit the commercial sector more severely, restaurants across the city shut down, since they had no gas to cook with.
Some residents reported that even after they booked a cylinder, its delivery is taking approximately 10 days, leaving the process redundant and arriving after 40 days.
Gas agencies in the city are now seeing swarms of people gathered to seek answers for the shortage. When a consumer asked an HP Gas employee what those whose gas is finished should do now, the employee, helpless, said, “Kya Karna, bethna padta. Kuch bhi nai karte. Meku gas nai ayi toh mei Kya karna. Tees din tak book nai hota (What to do? Just sit and wait. Nothing can be done. If the gas hasn’t arrived, what am I supposed to do? A booking cannot even be made for 30 days)”
The complainant pointed out that the window has not turned into 40 days, which the employee confirmed and advised the residents to be mindful of the time and manage accordingly.
As the city grapples with the shortage, Hyderabad City Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar has cautioned that cybercriminals are taking advantage of the crisis to target desperate consumers by promising quick cylinder deliveries and siphoning off their money from bank accounts.
The fraudsters reportedly sent an APK file via WhatsApp, asked the victims to download it on their mobiles and fill the form inside it. In one instance, when the victim installed the file and entered the details, a whopping Rs 4 lakh vanished from their bank accounts.
