The bloodshed and the rows continued yesterday across Egypt while people were lining up to get gas cylinders, especially in the governorates of Giza, Dakahlia and Sohag. Meanwhile, for the second week running, there was a shortage of such cylinders with prices up to LE 20 in some governorates. In Dakahlia, a row broke out between some people and those in charge of distributing the cylinders, who were on a car. In particular, the people accused one of the distributors of throwing a cylinder at them and injuring Khaled Magdy Rizk in the head. The distributors then drove off. The people also accused the distributors of selling the cylinders to unofficial traders who in turn sell at LE 20 a cylinder. The local residents of three villages in the governorate were forced to go to the city of Mansoura to get the cylinders they needed given the deep shortage in their villages. Meanwhile, the supply bureau confiscated 4,780 cylinders on the black market and filed notes against facilities which were using the cylinders for other purposes than those for which they had been allocated. Dakahlia Governor, Major General Samir Sallam, said the gas cylinder plant of Talkha has raised production to 3,200 cylinders per day to meet people's growing demand. In Sohag, cylinders became rarer and rarer inside villages and provinces. The price of a single unit rose up to LE 15 and people needed brokers to get one. Rows broke out among people lining up, while no authorities showed up. Supply deputy director Ahmed el-Senousi said the crisis had to be ascribed to rising consumption rates in winter. He affirmed an agreement had been struck with the Petroleum Gas Company (Petrogas) to increase the share for the governorate to 1.5 million cylinders, namely 200,000 units more than the normal quantity. Qalyubia Governor Adly Hussein decided to shut down 43 gas cylinder warehouses for two months because they were selling at more than the price agreed. In the governorate of Giza, the crisis escalated for the second week running. Prices went up to LE 20, while many people lined up in front of the largest warehouse in the governorate. Many of them said they had failed to get any cylinder for days without their knowing why. Once the car arrived, rows broke out among local residents who had flocked to buy the cylinders. Warehouse officials justified the crowd saying the supply directorate had decided to half the number of available cylinders (800 rather than 1,600 per day).
