Guwahati: Assam Police on Thursday warned of strict legal action against anyone trying to spread rumours about shortages of LPG and other petroleum products.Meanwhile, state chief secretary(CS) Ravi Kota has instructed local refineries of the state to step up production to ensure adequate supply.Assam police appealed to citizens to not believe or forward any misleading claims that may be spread by inimical elements to try and create confusion.Kota attended a meeting with the union home ministry, union home secretary and chief secretaries and DGPs of the states/ UTs where the availability and supply position of LPG and diesel across the country was assessed.The CS said during the meeting, the State Level Coordinator of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) reviewed the LPG supply position in Assam and informed that the overall situation in the state remains comfortable, and adequate stock is currently available.“It was also noted that local refineries are expected to meet about 30% of the state’s LPG demand and have been requested to step up production to ensure adequate supply,” he added.In view of advisories issued by the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to prevent panic buying, it was reiterated that fresh LPG cylinders should not be delivered before twenty-five days from the date of the previous purchase. “Priority in LPG supply will continue to be given to health institutions, educational institutions and households,” he added.To ensure close monitoring of the situation, a high-powered committee at the level of the chief secretary has been constituted with the concerned departments to regularly review the supply position.In addition, Kota said, a dedicated media monitoring committee has been set up to track rumours, misinformation and misleading reports that may create panic among consumers.“Enforcement agencies have been directed to take strict action against individuals or entities spreading false information or attempting to create panic regarding fuel availability,” he added.“The state govt is closely monitoring the situation and has assured that adequate measures are in place to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential fuel commodities across the state,” Kota said.IOCL operates three key refineries in Assam — Guwahati Refinery with a capacity of capacity 1.2 MMTPA, Bongaigaon Refinery with a capacity 2.7 MMTPA and Digboi Refinery with capacity 0.65 MMTPA, expanding to 1.0 MMTPA by March 2026.On the other hand, NRL operates Numaligarh Refinery with a capacity of 3 MMTPA. This refinery is undergoing a major brownfield expansion project called NREP to triple its capacity from 3 MMTPA to 9 MMTPA.
