Imphal, August 13: The proverb "Make hay while the sun shines" seems to have been taken to heart by some unscrupulous business sharks in distributing filled LPG gas cylinders in Manipur even as the State is boiling in the aftermath of the custodial killing of Th Manorama Devi by 17 Assam Rifles.

With the State in turmoil and the landslide and mudslide on National Highway 39, the price of one filled LPG cylinder is today anything between Rs 450 to 500 in the black market although there is no stoppage of transportation of these filled cylinders from Assam.

Though gas agencies seem to have declared a 'lean season' one can find filled cylinders selling at exorbitant price in small shops everywhere and near the office of gas agencies.

The bulk of LPG filled cylinders procured by numerous agencies for the consumption of the State come from Assam and pass through NH-39.Though there were some communication breakdowns on NH-39 due to the landslide and mudslide at numerous places in Senapati district specially in Gopibung and Mao area, there is no stoppage in ferrying filled cylinder to the State as it is evident from the records maintained by various police check posts on daily basis set up along the NH-39.The number of filled cylinders procured by different agencies from Assam and the number of filled cylinders distributed to the public is in the ratio of 2:1 as most of these agencies have resorted to selling the cylinders in the black market earning huge profits on the sly.

During the five day period starting from August 7 to 12, gas agencies received 59 trucks filled with LPG cylinders from Assam as per records maintained by Mao Police.

These trucks on an average ferry 280 to 320 LPG filled cylinders in a single trip.

Taking the mean as 300 per trip, these trucks approximately brought in 17,700 LPG filled cylinders during the five day period into the State.

During this period, gas agencies in the State distributed approximately 8078 filled cylinders to the public as per records maintained by various local newspapers while 9622 filled cylinders appear to have done the disappearing act.

All these cylinders were of course sold in black market with many small shops selling them at exorbitant prices.

As records maintained by Mao police, on August 7, 10 trucks filled with LPG cylinder passed the Mao � gate from Nagaland, on August 8-11 trucks, August 9-21 trucks; August 10 - 2 trucks and August 11 - 15 trucks.

These trucks eventually reached the State capital on the same day and the agencies announced their 'doctored' stock position through the newspapers.

Taking the newspaper records from August 8, different agencies distributed 2500 filled cylinders to the public, on August 9 - 650 filled cylinders, August 10 - none of the agencies announce their stock position although 21 trucks filled with cylinders arrived on August 9, August 11 - 1428 cylinders and on August 12 - 3500 cylinders were distributed.

During this period approximately 17,700 filled cylinders arrived in the State on 59 trucks while 8078 cylinders were distributed to the public.

The whereabouts of the remaining 9622 filled cylinders is a million dollar question which the agencies can only answer it.

One source from IOC, Marketing division said that the stock of various agencies can't be kept at the office as these agencies used to procure the filled cylinders from Assam by themselves.

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