Bhubaneswar: Priority should be given to the supply of cooking gas to consumers, Chief Secretary Anu Garg said on Wednesday, while chairing a meeting with department secretaries and district collectors at Lok Seva Bhavan.
Garg made it clear that special focus should be placed on ensuring supply to essential services and sectors such as hospitals, mid-day meal programmes in schools, hostels, anganwadi centres, orphanages, Aahar centres, and other government-run institutions.
The crucial meeting was held to discuss ensuring the availability and uninterrupted supply of cooking gas, petrol, and diesel to consumers in Odisha, according to a government release.
The chief secretary informed the collectors that detailed discussions had been held with officials of oil marketing companies on the matter. They informed that at present there is no difficulty in the supply of cooking gas. However, due to apprehensions among the public, there could be potential law and order issues. Therefore, preparations are necessary to deal with such situations.
It was also stressed that the movement of tankers from depots should not face any disruption. Garg directed the police administration to ensure necessary law and order arrangements for the smooth movement of tankers and the proper functioning of retail outlets.
For regular monitoring of the situation, the meeting directed the formation of a State-level committee comprising secretaries of the concerned departments and district-level committees comprising district collectors, superintendents of police, and district supply officers.
The chief secretary also directed that a control room should function at the district level for this purpose.
She instructed officials to ensure proper management and monitoring so that cooking gas reaches the intended consumers.
Garg also directed strict vigilance against activities such as black marketing or excessive purchase of cooking gas. Oil companies have been advised to keep LPG bottling plants, retail outlets, and distribution systems functioning smoothly so that domestic consumers do not face any inconvenience.
District collectors were also instructed to hold meetings at the district level to create awareness and provide accurate information to the public.
