PATNA, March 14 -- Though the state administration continues to assure that there is no shortage of domestic LPG gas cylinders and fuel in the state, people were seen outside LPG distribution centres across Bihar be it Patna, Bhagalpur, Rohtas, Katihar and other districts, as per agency reports. In Patna , electrical shops in Boring road , Chandni chowk market near Patna Junction roundabout and other parts witnessed high footfalls of customers enquiring as well as buying induction cookers to reduce their consumption of LPG gas cylinders. Rajeev Kumar, a resident of Shivpuri, said he had purchased an induction cooker so that the load on LPG cylinders could be reduced. " It is better to have an alternative as there is a waiting period now for getting LPG cylinders," he said. Many of the restaurants and street food vendors have started curtailing their menus to reduce consumption of cooking gas in the city,reports said. On Thursday, the development commissioner Mihir Kumar Singh had held a high level meeting with top public sector oil and gas companies to review the supply and distribution of LPG, commercial gas cylinders and fuel in the state. Meanwhile, on Friday, Patna district magistrate Thiyagarajan SM said that there was no shortage of supply of LPG gas cylinders in the district and asserted that measures have been taken to check blackmarketing and hoarding of cylinders. The Patna district administration has also set up a district LPG gas helpline 0612- 2219810 where consumers can put any complaints regarding supply and distribution of LPG gas cylinders from 9 am to 6 pm, officials said. In the presser, the DM Patna said he had held meetings with officers from IOCL, BPCL, HPCL and GAIL, and they have assured me that there was no shortage of domestic LPG supply.Thiyagarajan said the district administration has prioritised supply to commercial units, hospitals and educational institutions, alongside rationing LPG cylinders to hostels. He said refill bookings are allowed after a gap of 25 days in urban areas, while in rural areas, from Saturday, the gap will be fixed at 45 days. " Under no circumstances should a domestic cylinder be sold above the prescribed rate. Anyone doing so will face legal action. Hoarding is strictly prohibited under the ESMA Act, and diversion of domestic supply for commercial purposes is a legal offence," the DM said. Twenty-eight raid teams have been formed, and FIRs against wrongdoers have been lodged in Phulwari Sharif, Danapur and Bakhtiyarpur thus far, officials said. Similiarly, Bhagalpur DM Nawal Kishor Choudhary also said that there was no shortage of LPG cylinders in the district. "I appeal to the people not to believe in rumours of short supply. The district administration is fully alert to ensure that domestic LPG cylinders are not diverted for commercial use, and black marketing is checked," he said. Katihar DM Ashutosh Dwivedi urged people not to panic as there is "adequate availability" of LPG cylinders in the district. "As per the data we have, there is an adequate supply of LPG cylinders. We are ready to tackle any kind of situation. All the sub-divisional officers (SDOs) in the district have been instructed to identify incidents of black marketing and hoarding, and take strict action against wrongdoers," he said. He said 16 raids team have been constituted inside the district to check black marketing....