STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: Acting on complaints regarding shortage of kerosene oil in Kashmir Valley, Governor N.N Vohra on Tuesday ordered a probe into the matter.
The Governor has directed the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Rohit Kansal to send a detailed report on the matter by 14th January, a Raj Bhawan spokesman said.
Kansal has also been asked to review the position of all essential commodities, and the prices for which they are being charged in the report.
A similar direction has been issued to the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, he said.
Seeking immediate withdrawal of Centre’s decision to reduce kerosene quota to Kashmir, senior PDP MP Tariq Hameed Karra has sought Union Petroleum Minister’s personal intervention in the matter.
In a communication to the Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Karra described the reduction as an unfair decision.
Meanwhile, State Congress chief Prof Saifuddin Soz alleged the move to cut kerosene quota by BJP-led central government as anti Kashmir and urged the Governor to take up the issue with the centre.
“It is unfortunate that the BJP government has reduced the kerosene oil quota.
The move will trigger a strong resentment among consumers and dealers in Jammu and Kashmir. The governor himself should take up the matter with the Union Petroleum Ministry. The BJP government is anti-Kashmir and anti-people,” Soz alleged.
It is to mention here that Kerosene allocation for J&K State (excluding Ladakh region) is given in two blocks. Forty percent of annual allocation is given for summer block (April-September) and the remaining 60 percent is released in winter (October-March).
The Union Oil Ministry had earlier ordered a cut down of over 18 lakh liters in Kerosene to valley this month. The dealers are demanding roll back of the order curtailing Kashmir’s Kerosene share by over 18 lakh liters per month.