The butane gas crisis continued in governorates on Monday as the warehouses witnessed severe overcrowding of citizens and fights between a number of them.
In Beheira, two were wounded, one in the head and the other's foot was broken, due to overcrowding queues for butane gas cylinders in Edko City. Residents complained that the price of the cylinder reached LE50.
The crisis reached as well cities of Damietta including al-Zarqa, Farskour, al-Basarta, al-Khayata, al-Ananeya, al-Hourany, Kafr Saad and Kafr Batikh villages. Residents said the cylinders were smuggled to be sold on the black market at higher prices which increased the crisis.
Agent of the Supply Directorate in Beheira al-Sayed al-Zohairy said that 25,000 to 28,000 cylinders in all the governorate cities and villages are put on market daily.
The increase of consumption is the cause of the crisis, he added.
Five complaints have been filed against warehouses that sell butane gas cylinders at prices higher than the official ones, Zohairy mentioned.
In Menofiya, the crisis worsened in the villages of Ashmun where people complained of shortage and high prices on the black market.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Supply Atef al-Gamal admitted there was shortage in butane gas cylinders in Menofiya.
He pointed out that the number of warehouses in the governorate were incompatible with the number of residents which added to the crisis.
Ibrahim Talha, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Supply in Kafr al-Sheikh, said he is currently underway to pump further quantities of butane gas to the governorate to cover the shortage. He pointed out that the governorate's quota of butane gas hd been increased with 132 tons.
In Minya, the price of the cylinder reached LE50 on the black market.
Under Secretary of the Ministry of Supply in Minya Mahmoud Youssef said additional quantities have been transferred to the governorate from Assiut to face the crisis.
In Sohag, the price of the cylinder on the black market reached LE60 and fights and altercations between citizens and owners of stores selling the cylinders took place.
Warehouse owners sell the cylinders to dealers on the black market ad dawn at higher prices, a number of citizens told Al-Masry Al-Youm.
Youssef Shams, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Supply in Sohag, said 40 butane gas cylinders on the black market were seized in a crackdown.
In Qena, a number of citizens demanded tightening control over the distribution of LPG outlets after the rise in the price of the cylinder on the black market to LE40 each.
In Assiut, the governor Major General Ibrahim Hammad and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Supply Saleh Abdallah inspected the factories filling butane gas cylinders in the governorate.
Hammad issued his instructions to constantly work through three shifts to ensure coverage of the needs of citizens of butane gas cylinders and to make up for shortage in neighboring governorates and ordered a bonus for workers in factories of butane gas cylinders on evening shifts to encourage them.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
