Bhubaneswar: The state govt’s decision to ban the sale of 5kg LPG cylinders in open market has left many concerned, particularly migrant students who depend on this affordable and convenient cooking fuel option.Food supplies and consumer welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Sunday announced that the unauthorised sale of the 5kg cylinders in the open market has been banned with immediate effect. Dealers have also been warned against illegally refilling such cylinders. “Open sale of these small cylinders was anyway illegal. We have directed all officials concerned to stop it from today (Sunday) onwards,” he said.While the minister said the move is part of the govt’s efforts to curb black marketing of LPG, those using them feel it could disrupt a crucial lifeline.In the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, a large number of migrant students live in rented accommodations and mess. For them, the 5kg cylinders have been a practical solution to cooking food.Abhishek Panda from Bhadrak, who is pursuing his final year graduation in Bhubaneswar, said many like him buy the 5kg cylinders from local kirana stores as they are cheaper and quicker to procure than the regular ones. He recently refilled his cylinder at one such store, where a larger 14kg domestic cylinder was used for the purpose.“Before the war broke out, I used to refill my 5kg cylinder at the rate of Rs 110 per kg. When I went to refill two days ago, the rate had shot up almost three times to Rs 340. Students like us, who come from different districts, save every penny to study in the city. Refilling has already become expensive; how will we manage if these small cylinders are no longer available in the open market,” he asked.Earlier in the day, the ministry of petroleum and natural Gas stated that the 5kg Free Trade LPG (FTL) cylinders are available at authorised LPG distributorship and can be purchased with any valid ID proof, without requiring address proof. However, students questioned the practicality of this option.“For students, time and accessibility matter. Many of us are either studying full time or balancing studies with part-time jobs. It’s easier to buy and refill a cylinder locally than waiting at an LPG agency,” said another student, Manoranjan Rout.Officials defended the move, stating that the open market sale of the 5kg cylinders was largely unauthorised and prone to misuse.Asked whether the ban would affect students, the minister said those residing in institutional hostels would not face any issues as their food arrangements are taken care of.
