It has been almost three weeks since the ongoing war in West Asia and its impact is now clearly visible on the global energy market. Due to this conflict, pressure on oil and gas supply has increased, due to which the fear of energy crisis is increasing. India has also been affected by this situation. However, the central government is continuously appealing to the people to maintain peace and is assuring that at present the energy supply in the country remains normal.
Concern about LPG
According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, there is concern about LPG due to the war, but its availability in the country is sufficient. There has been no shortage situation at the level of any gas agency or distributor. Besides, the crude oil reserves are also satisfactory, due to which the refinery operations are continuing smoothly. There is no shortage of fuel at petrol pumps and the supply of domestic PNG and CNG used in vehicles continues regularly.
Joint Secretary of the Ministry, Sujata Sharma informed that the government is continuously monitoring the situation and is taking all necessary steps. He said that awareness is being continuously increased to reduce panic among the people. Also, commercial LPG consumers are being appealed to use CNG or PNG instead of LPG wherever possible.
Emphasis on expansion of PNG network
The government has also laid emphasis on the expansion of PNG network to reduce the pressure on LPG. In this direction, work is being done rapidly in collaboration with the states. A large number of new domestic, commercial and industrial connections have been released in recent times. In the last few days, thousands of consumers have shifted from LPG to PNG, which is helping in maintaining the balance of gas supply.
Meanwhile, attacks on oil refineries and storage centers in West Asia have made the situation more sensitive. Any obstruction in an important sea route like the Strait of Hormuz can have a direct impact on global supplies. A major part of India’s LPG needs comes from Qatar. In such a situation, the situation there is important for India.
The spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs also admitted that this crisis is not limited to India only, but many countries of the world are being affected by it. However, the government has expressed confidence that the search for alternative supply sources is going on and every possible effort is being made to keep the situation under control.
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