35 gas cylinders seized

Solan, April 27

The Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs department seized 35 commercial cylinders which had been transported illegally to the state from Punjab.

Food Controller Narinder Dhiman said they had received several complaints about gas agencies from neighbouring states selling commercial cylinders in the state.

The cylinders were headed for Rajpura in Punjab from the Lalru-based gas plant of Bharat Gas. They were, however, diverted to Shogi where the agency had availed a GST number and cylinders were being sold further.

They were also being stored illegally without seeking a licence from the explosive department and had been transported through the e-way billing. It was being verified how the GST number had been availed by the agency for Himachal.

The cylinders were unloaded in Shogi and were to be transported to Shimla. The vehicle carrying empty cylinders was caught by the officials in Solan last evening near the bypass. The agency staff could not produce any papers for storage and transportation, which was a violation of the LPG Control Order-2000.

A compliant has been lodged with the police, said Dhiman. He said 45 LPG cylinders had also been recovered by the police in Shimla and further probe was underway.