'This is truly surprising. Why is Reliance Industries producing less? The answer is simple. The production is artificially being kept at lower levels by Reliance Industries, owing to the lack of demand at the present exorbitant price of $4.2 per unit,' he said.

'We, as end users of the gas, are sincerely requesting the government and the petroleum ministry to take effective steps to prevent under-production -- or, simply put, hoarding of gas by monopoly producers like Reliance Industries.'

He said he had also written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the matter.

Deora had told the Lok Sabha earlier that supply of gas to the Dadri project had been considered by an empowered group of ministers led by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. 'This plant is neither installed nor functional,' he said.

'The intention of the government is very clear. We will allocate gas to Dadri plant subject to availability and that Dadri plant will be treated on the same footing as other similar plants placed under similar circumstances.'