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News India Live, Digital Desk: At around 10:00 am on Saturday morning in Chatra, Jharkhand, the patience of consumers broke. Dozens of villagers, angry over not getting gas even after several days of booking and the agency repeatedly saying “aaj-kal”, completely blocked the Chatra bypass road.
Main points of protest
Cylinders lined up on the road: The protesters placed their empty cylinders in a line in the middle of the main road. This led to long queues of passenger buses and goods trucks.
Consumers allege: People say that they had booked gas weeks ago. Due to running out of gas in homes, cooking has become difficult, but the agency operators are procrastinating instead of smoothening the supply.
Iran-Israel War Connection: According to local media reports, there is talk of nationwide gas supply being affected due to increasing tensions in West Asia (Iran-Israel), the effect of which is visible in the form of ‘panic booking’ and shortage in small districts like Chatra.
[Image: Consumers sitting on a pile of LPG cylinders blocking a highway in Chatra]Administrative intervention and end of traffic jam
Police action: After being stuck for more than an hour, representatives of the local police administration and gas agency reached the spot.
Assurance: Officials assured that new consignments of gas (refills) will arrive within the next 24 to 48 hours and cylinders will be given to people who have booked on priority basis.
alert: Consumers have made it clear that if the supply does not normalize soon, they will protest even more.
Political turmoil all over Jharkhand
This incident of Chatra is not the only one. At present, politics is heated in entire Jharkhand regarding gas shortage:
Uproar in the Assembly: During the ongoing budget session in Ranchi, MLAs of the ruling party (JMM-Congress-RJD) have demonstrated against the central government by carrying replicas of gas cylinders.
Opposition counterattack: BJP has termed it a ‘sponsored crisis’ and a failure of the state government.