NEW DELHI: Petroleum ministry officials told a parliamentary panel on Monday that there is 78 days of crude stock and assured there is no shortage of LPG, in response to questions from several members over “long queues” at fuel stations in some parts of the country.The panel on transport, tourism and culture headed by JDU MP Sanjay Jha held the meeting to discuss the impact of the West Asia situation on maritime trade, shipping infrastructure and seafarer safety. It was attended by officials from shipping, petroleum, fertiliser and external affairs ministry.Shipping ministry officials informed members that 37 India-bound ships are stranded in the Persian Gulf due to disruptions in movement of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.The panel was also informed that there are around 18,000 Indian seafarers in the Persian Gulf, including around 11,000 in the west of Hormuz, and most of them are staying there due to job commitments, people privy to the discussion said. Officials said the stuck ships can be evacuated in 5-6 days once the operation of ships through conflict-hit strait become normal.The officials are also learnt to have told the panel that insurance premiums for cargo ships have risen — up to 100 times in the case of containers — in view of the West Asia crisis. They also said that while the shipping ministry, along with the help of the external affairs ministry, is trying to get Indian ships out of the war zone in West Asia, ships are facing problems in crossing the affected area.Jha lauded govt’s efforts in handling the crisis. “You know that India has not done this; the whole world is facing, but the initiatives that have been taken… We also do not know how long this will continue; govt is addressing them… Things are in control at the moment,” he told reporters after the meeting.
