PATNA, April 3 -- The Bihar government has decided to crack down on illegal hoarding and black-marketing of fertilisers in the state as major crop seasons are coming in the following months. The move follows a similar clampdown on the LPG crisis in the state after the war broke out in West Asia. As part of the new move, the District Magistrates (DMs) will not only conduct physical verification of fertiliser stocks but will also promptly book offenders. The LPG crackdown continues, even though without desired results and long queues of people could be seen in front of gas filling stations throughout the state. As part of the new directive, Bihar Chief Secretary (CS) Pratyaya Amrit on Thursday directed the District Magistrates (DMs) to conduct continuous raids at suspected hoarders engaged in black-marketing and illegal stockpiling of fertilizer and also to lodge FIRs against them under relevant sections. The Chief Secretary, during a review meeting with representatives of oil companies, DMs and divisional commissioners, also took stock of the availability of cooking gas, petrol and diesel in the districts. The CS also directed the representatives of oil companies to address complaints pertaining to LPG consumers receiving a "delivered" message despite not having actually received their gas cylinders. He also asked the officials of oil companies to dispose of KYC-related matters and carry out the installation of PNG (piped natural gas) on a mission mode in places where pipelines have been laid. The officials of oil companies and district officials assured the CS that there is "no shortage" of LPG cylinders in districts although there is still a backlog of cylinder delivery owing to "panic bookings". On its part, the state government has also directed all District Magistrates (DMs) to ensure physical verification of fertilizer stocks in all districts and check smuggling and hoardings so that proper supply is maintained in coming crop seasons amid the disruption of fertilizer supply through international routes in the wake of the ongoing West Asia crisis. Agriculture Director Saurav Suman Yadav said that orders for physical verification of fertilizer stocks have been given to get a fair idea of the stockpile in the state and also to ascertain whether any kind of hoarding or black-marketing is underway. "Districts where there has been a substantial rise in fertilizer consumption have been instructed to verify whether the consumption is for genuine purposes to enrich the fields or for other purposes," said the agriculture director. Yadav also maintained that districts in the bordering areas of the state, where fertilizer smuggling is rampant, have been given strict instructions to keep a tab on clandestine fertilizer trade, with Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) directed to maintain higher vigil. Agency reports said that Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan talked to agriculture ministers of states and CMs about the availability of urea and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) and assured all support. On Wednesday, Bihar's Agriculture Minister Ram Kripal Yadav met the Union Agriculture Minister and apprised him of the fertilizer stock availability in the state apart from discussing other issues. Yadav said that as of April 1, the state had a stock of 2.77 lakh metric tonnes of urea, 1.46 lakh metric tonnes of DAP, 2.11 lakh metric tonnes of NPK with a substantial stock of other fertilizers too. " We have enough fertilizer stock for the coming crop season in coming months. The requisite for fertilizer would be mainly for wheat and maize crops," said the director of agriculture. In the coming months, two crop seasons-garma and then kharif -- will see fertilizer consumption in the state and officials are trying to ensure the state doesn't face a shortage of stocks then....