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After commercial LPG supply crisis, domestic consumers in Kerala face booking issues
Although oil companies claim the shortage is limited to commercial cylinders, distributors say many areas are also facing a shortage of domestic cylinders.
As the LPG supply crisis continues to affect commercial establishments, domestic consumers are now also feeling the heat due to booking issues, with distributors flooded with consumer queries.
Although oil companies claim the shortage is limited to commercial cylinders, distributors say many areas are also facing a shortage of domestic cylinders.
LPG distributors said they were being flooded with consumer queries but had no clear answers to offer.
"Eighty per cent of our LPG supply is from Qatar, and we have no alternative source. This is the main issue. For the government, domestic supply is more important, and they do not bother about the commercial supply," Sanal Kumar G, general secretary of the All India LPG Distributors Federation (Kerala Circle), told PTI.
Also read: Amid hotel closures, Centre says some commercial LPG cylinders ‘will be released’
He said the major issue now is that domestic consumers are unable to book cylinders as the oil companies' operational software frequently goes down.
"When we call the numbers to book domestic cylinders, we either get no reply or a message stating that the number does not exist. They say I can book a refill only after 25 days of getting a cylinder. In my case, I booked my earlier cylinder about a month ago, but still could not book a refill," a domestic consumer in Jagathi here said.
Even the 5 kg cylinders, considered an emergency option for domestic consumers, are running out of stock.
While domestic consumers search for answers, eating out has also become difficult as restaurants and small eateries are shutting down due to the lack of commercial cylinders.
Also read: 90% of India's LPG imports travels through Hormuz Strait, but things in control: Govt
The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) has asked restaurants to consider common cooking areas for a cluster of establishments to minimise LPG usage.
"This is not a practical option. We have LPG left for one or two days and we will have to find an alternative. We have already cut many items from our menu," said Alif Vayalil, a restaurant owner and executive member of the Thiruvananthapuram district committee of the KHRA.
He said many restaurants and eateries have already shut down operations or are functioning with minimal staff and a limited menu. With limited space in cities, using firewood is also not a viable option, he added.
The crisis is also affecting people who work temporarily in restaurants, as many lose their jobs when establishments shut down or reduce operations.
"We stopped billing for commercial cylinders starting Monday as there is no supply," said Sanal Kumar G, owner of the KR Gas agency in Kaimanam.
Canteens in several state and central government offices and establishments have already closed or may shut down within a day or two.
Sources said distributors have written to oil companies requesting special allocation of cylinders for establishments such as prisons and hospitals, but even those allocations are facing difficulties.
Meanwhile, DYFI activists, the youth wing of the CPI(M), carried out a protest in front of the Head Post Office in Kannur on Thursday, seeking restoration of LPG supply.
The activists, who were shouting slogans, sat in a dharna at the office.
Soon, the police reached the place and removed the protesters by arresting them.
