New Delhi, 07 April (H.S.):

Amid the West Asia crisis, the Central Government assured on Tuesday that supplies of petrol, diesel, LPG, and PNG remain steady across India, with ample stocks at fuel stations and refineries operating efficiently—some even above 100% capacity.

Joint Secretary (Marketing and Oil Refineries) Sujata Sharma from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated during an inter-ministerial briefing that 96% of LPG bookings are online with OTP-based delivery, ensuring seamless distribution. She highlighted supply of ~6,500 tonnes of commercial LPG, strong demand for 5-kg cylinders, daily delivery of 1 lakh cylinders, and sales of over 7.8 lakh since March 23.

PNG and Biofuel Expansion

Sharma noted stable natural gas supply amid 16,500+ consumers shifting from LPG to PNG connections. The government is promoting compressed biogas (CBG) via a model policy, linking it to additional commercial LPG allocations for states. Refineries are optimised with comfortable crude availability; enforcement via raids, fines, and distributor suspensions—coordinated with states—prevents hoarding.

No shortages reported at LPG distributorships or petrol pumps; 1,300 awareness camps were held by oil marketing companies. Fertiliser firms have been directed to cut natural gas use by up to 90% from April 6.

Maritime and Seafarer Safety

Ports, Shipping and Waterways Additional Secretary Mukesh Mangal confirmed all Indian seafarers safe, with no incidents involving Indian-flagged vessels in the last 24 hours. Sixteen such ships with 433 crew remain in the Western Persian Gulf region; DG Shipping coordinates with owners, RPSLs, and missions while monitoring actively.

The DG Shipping control room handled 5,342+ calls and ~11,000 emails (229 calls, 406 emails in last 24 hours); 1,691+ seafarers repatriated so far, including 92 recently. Ports nationwide operate smoothly, with no congestion; state maritime boards confirm normalcy.

Evacuation and Flight Updates

MEA Additional Secretary Aseem R Mahajan reported ongoing flights from open-airspace nations, with ~7.6 lakh passengers arriving since February 28. Around 90 flights expected from UAE today; services continue via Saudi Arabia and Oman. Qatar operates limited flights; Kuwait and Bahrain airspace closed, with alternatives routed through Saudi Arabia.

Tehran's embassy facilitated onward travel for 1,862 Indians (students, fishermen) to Armenia/Azerbaijan; similar arrangements aid returns from Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain via neighbours.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar