Guwahati: Assam Police on Wednesday cautioned that strict legal action will be taken against individuals spreading rumours about shortages of LPG and other petroleum products in the state.
In a post on X, the police said anyone circulating misleading information regarding the availability of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), petrol, diesel or other petroleum products would face legal consequences. The police also appealed to the public not to believe or forward unverified claims, stating that “inimical elements” could attempt to spread misinformation to trigger panic among consumers.
The warning comes a day after Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota stated that local refineries in the state currently have the capacity to meet only around 30% of Assam’s LPG demand, prompting concerns over a potential supply gap in the coming days.
To curb panic and prevent the spread of false information, the state government has constituted a dedicated media monitoring committee to track rumours, misleading reports and inaccurate claims that may create confusion among the public.
Ravi Kota said the government has already asked all four refineries operating in Assam to increase production in order to ensure uninterrupted supply of LPG across the state.
He, along with Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh, officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department and representatives of oil marketing companies, also participated in a video conference with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan. The meeting included chief secretaries and Directors General of Police from several States and Union Territories to review the availability and supply of LPG and diesel across the country.
During the meeting, the State Level Coordinator of Indian Oil Corporation reviewed the LPG supply situation in Assam and said the overall position remained comfortable, with adequate stock currently available.
Assam has four refineries — three operated by Indian Oil Corporation at Digboi, Guwahati and Bongaigaon, and one operated by Numaligarh Refinery Limited at Numaligarh.
Official data shows that the Northeast requires about 1.91 lakh domestic LPG cylinders of 14.2 kg every day, of which Assam accounts for approximately 1.34 lakh cylinders.
In the commercial segment of 19 kg cylinders, the Northeast market requires around 5,777 cylinders daily, including about 4,112 cylinders in Assam.
Authorities reiterated that there is no immediate cause for concern and urged residents to rely only on official updates regarding fuel availability and supply.