Dehradun, April 7 -- State Congress president Ganesh Godiyal on Monday alleged that irregular supply of cooking gas and reports of black marketing in Uttarakhand could adversely affect tourism activities in the state, particularly during the upcoming pilgrimage season. Addressing reporters at the party's state headquarters, Godiyal said complaints regarding shortage of LPG cylinders and black marketing were being reported from various parts of the state. "Complaints concerning gas shortages and black marketing are constantly surfacing from different regions of the state. If there is indeed no actual shortage of gas within the state, the government must clearly present its position before the public," he said. Raising concerns about the upcoming Char Dham Yatra, Godiyal said reports of a large number of online registrations being cancelled were alarming. "The Char Dham Yatra is not merely a matter of faith but also the backbone of the state's economy as it provides livelihood to thousands of people," he said. Godiyal also pointed to possible impacts on tourism in the Kumaon region, saying hotels and tourism-related businesses could suffer if they do not receive adequate gas supply. "If hotels and other tourism-related establishments fail to receive gas supply on time, it will have a far-reaching adverse impact on the tourism sector of the entire state, including religious tourism," he said. The Congress leader demanded that the state government take immediate cognisance of the issue, ensure uninterrupted gas supply and take strict action against those involved in black marketing. He further said that during his proposed visit to Uttarakhand, PM Narendra Modi should reassure people that there is no shortage of domestic gas or fuel in the country and that the public will not face any difficulties. Responding to the allegations, the Bharatiya Janata Party accused the Congress of politicising the issue. Manveer Singh Chauhan, state media in-charge of state BJP said, "The state government had taken all necessary steps to ensure adequate availability of LPG and petroleum products". He said that in view of the global situation arising from the West Asia War, the government has been closely monitoring the supply of LPG and petroleum products. Chauhan added that the government was also taking precautionary measures ahead of the Char Dham Yatra, scheduled to begin on April 19. "Adequate stocks of LPG and petroleum products were currently available in both the country and the state. Centre has allocated an additional 20% LPG quota to Uttarakhand to meet increased demand during the pilgrimage season. Concerns over LPG supply to dhabas, restaurants and hotels along the pilgrimage routes had been addressed after the Centre allotted a separate 6% commercial LPG quota to the state," Chauhan said. He added that the government is also ensuring uninterrupted availability of petrol, diesel and CNG along the yatra routes and thanked the Centre for its cooperation in maintaining the supply chain during the pilgrimage season. Meanwhile, Divisional Retail Sales Head, IOCL-Uttarakhand and State Level Coordinator of the oil industry, Krishna Kumar Gupta, in a media briefing here said thar in view of the ongoing developments in West Asia, updated information on key sectors is being closely monitored. He said, "In Uttarakhand, continuous LPG supply is being maintained; however, there is a backlog of about 6.97 days, mainly due to panic refill bookings by customers. At present, approximately 5,000 cylinders are being distributed daily in the state under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)." "Monitoring and compliance actions are being carried out regularly to prevent hoarding and black marketing. A total of 5,681 inspections and 301 raids have been conducted, resulting in 16 FIRs, 7 arrests, and 16 notices issued. Citizens are advised not to engage in panic buying and to rely only on official sources for information. They are encouraged to use digital platforms for LPG booking, avoid crowding, consider alternative fuels where possible, and adopt energy-saving practices," Gupta added....