Aizawl, May 27: Shortage of cooking gas in ?remote? Mizoram is caused by circumstances beyond the state?s control, the food, civil supplies and consumers? affairs minister, K. Sangthuama, said at a press conference yesterday. The minister after visiting the Borkhola gas bottling plant in Assam, said, the root of the problem was the plant.

?The Borkhola bottling plant faces problems like shortage of power supply and bad road conditions, for which officials blame the Assam government?s negligence,? Sangthuama said.

He said that the 7-km-long stretch of the Haflong highway, the main link to the Borkhola plant, is under repair. Thus trucks carrying LPG have to take alternative routes which are in bad shape. This creates the problems.