C.W.P.No.3965 of 2009 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH C.W.P.No.3965 of 2009 Date of Decision : 19.05.2009 Jaswant Singh ...Petitioner Versus Union of India and others ...Respondents CORAM:HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE HEMANT GUPTA Present: Mr. Karan Bhardwaj, Advocate, for the petitioner. Ms. Madhu Dayal, Addl. AG, Punjab, for respondent No.2. M/s Anil Malhotra & J.S.Dhaliwal, Advocates, for respondents No.3 to 5. T.S.Thakur, C.J. (ORAL) This petition has been filed in public interest. It prays for a mandamus directing the respondents to take immediate steps for removal of acute shortage of LPG in the district of Ferozepur in Punjab, which is causing hardship and inconvenience to the consumers at large. It also prays for a mandamus directing respondents No.3 to 5 to appoint LPG Distributor in the said city against the advertisement issued as early as in December 2007. In response to a notice issued by this Court, respondents No.3 to 5 have filed their reply, in which it is inter-alia stated that although during the month of February 2009 there was a short-fall in supplies in the entire Northern region including the supplies in District Ferozepur in C.W.P.No.3965 of 2009 2 the State of Punjab, yet in the months of March and April, 2009 the position has improved considerably. The result is that as of now there is no shortage of domestic LPG supply in Ferozepur district. The supply having, thus, been normalized, there is no inconvenience to the people at large. In so far as appointment of another Distributor for the city of Ferozepur is concerned, learned counsel for respondents No.3 to 5 submits that the process of finalizing the allotment of dealership is in progress and that the competent authority should be in a position to pass final orders on the subject within a period of one year. An affidavit has been filed even by the Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur in response to the notice issued to him, in which it is inter-alia stated that the allegations of black-market of LPG cylinders in Ferozepur city have been investigated and the statements of 164 consumers from different areas of Ferozepur, recorded, who have all denied the allegation that there is any black-market of the LPG. In the circumstances, therefore, and keeping in view the affidavits filed in reply, from which it does appear that the position regarding supply of LPG has improved over the past few months, we see no reason to issue any direction in the matter, except that the authorities would take steps to ensure that the public at large is not put to any inconvenience on account of any artificial scarcity created by either official apathy or the greed of any Distributor. We also consider it appropriate to direct that the process of appointment of a second Distributor for the city of Ferozepur shall be expedited, as far as possible and completed within a period of six months from the date of copy of the C.W.P.No.3965 of 2009 3 order is received, so that the distribution of LPG to the consumers in the said city becomes more convenient and efficient for the general benefit of the people. With the above observations, this petition is disposed of leaving the parties to bear their own costs. (T.S.THAKUR) CHIEF JUSTICE 19.5.2009 (HEMANT GUPTA) Vimal JUDGE