Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday warned against the black marketing and hoarding of petrol and diesel in the name of farmers, as several parts of the state witnessed a 20 to 30 per cent spike in fuel demand. Mr Fadnavis said he had instructed all divisional commissioners and district collectors to ensure adequate diesel supply to farmers, particularly ahead of the Kharif sowing season.
Reports from parts of Marathwada and north Maharashtra indicated long queues at petrol pumps in Jalna, Hingoli and Buldhana districts amid rising concerns over diesel availability. In Badnapur in Jalna district, a scuffle reportedly broke out between citizens and petrol pump staff, while another altercation was reported among farmers in Kalamnuri in Hingoli district.
In Dharangaon in Jalgaon district, people were seen waiting overnight at petrol pumps for diesel, with some even having meals at the premises while awaiting supply.
Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Sanjay Shirsat visited a petrol pump at Sajapur in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district amid complaints of fuel shortage. Farmers reportedly gheraoed the minister and complained about the non-availability of diesel since morning.
Mr Shirsat immediately contacted the district collector and directed officials to address the issue, saying farmers waiting for several hours should be given priority in diesel supply.
According to a senior official, Maharashtra had petrol stocks of 1,35,359 KL and diesel stocks of 2,56,621 KL as of May 23. Petrol sales stood at 14,882 KL, while diesel sales touched 47,273 KL. Fresh receipts were recorded at 30,392 KL for petrol and 32,679 KL for diesel.
“With this data, we can see that diesel consumption has increased due to preparations for Kharif sowing by farmers. The consumption of diesel is likely to increase further in the coming days,” the official said.
Responding to queries on the fuel situation, Mr Fadnavis said authorities had been asked to closely monitor unusual spikes in demand.
“I have already instructed all divisional commissioners and district collectors to ensure diesel availability for farmers. If anyone is hoarding fuel in the name of farmers, strict vigilance should be maintained. A 20 to 30 per cent spike in demand has been noticed in some parts of the state, and such a sudden increase raises suspicion,” he said.
He added that in some districts, officials were verifying farmers’ RC books before supplying diesel to prevent misuse.
Meanwhile, in a move presented as part of austerity measures, Mr Fadnavis travelled from Mumbai to Shirdi aboard the Vande Bharat Express for an official event. The Chief Minister said the decision was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for responsible use of resources and greater reliance on public transport.
Additional Chief Secretary Lokesh Chandra and Principal Secretary Dr Shrikar Pardeshi accompanied the Chief Minister during the journey, during which official work was also carried out.
Speaking to reporters in Shirdi, Mr Fadnavis said he enjoyed the train journey and interacted with passengers. “Wherever possible, we must follow the Prime Minister’s appeal, as people will also imitate,” he said.
