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By:

Rajendra Joshi

3 December 2024 at 3:50:26 am

Gas on paper, shutdown on ground

Despite higher quotas, supply fails to reach ground Kolhapur: Despite official assurances and a 20 per cent increase in gas allocation for hotels and food processing units, operators in Kolhapur say supplies remain elusive. With distributors citing administrative curbs even as stocks are available, the crisis has pushed nearly 4,000 establishments to the brink — threatening 80,000 livelihoods and casting a shadow over the city’s tourism-dependent economy. The situation stands in contrast to...

Gas on paper, shutdown on ground

Despite higher quotas, supply fails to reach ground Kolhapur: Despite official assurances and a 20 per cent increase in gas allocation for hotels and food processing units, operators in Kolhapur say supplies remain elusive. With distributors citing administrative curbs even as stocks are available, the crisis has pushed nearly 4,000 establishments to the brink — threatening 80,000 livelihoods and casting a shadow over the city’s tourism-dependent economy. The situation stands in contrast to directions issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has emphasised that essential establishments should not face disruption in fuel and gas supplies. While policy decisions at the Centre and the state appear aligned to protect commercial users, implementation gaps at the district level have left hotel operators struggling to access basic fuel. Industry representatives allege that although gas distribution companies have confirmed adequate stock, supply is being withheld due to administrative restrictions. The lack of clarity and coordination has deepened uncertainty, with many operators warning that prolonged disruption could force them to suspend operations. Local Economy Kolhapur’s hospitality sector — comprising small eateries, mid-sized establishments and larger hotels — forms a critical pillar of the local economy. Beyond direct employment to nearly 80,000 workers, it sustains a wide network of suppliers, transporters and ancillary businesses. Any prolonged disruption in essential services such as gas, electricity and water, stakeholders point out, risks triggering a cascading economic impact. The origins of the current strain lie in global supply disruptions following tensions in the Gulf region, which prompted authorities to prioritise domestic LPG consumption. While commercial allocations were initially curtailed, subsequent policy revisions sought to restore balance by enhancing quotas for sectors such as hospitality and food processing. However, in Kolhapur, operators say these decisions have not translated into actual relief. No Response Compounding the crisis is the reported lack of administrative response. Industry members claim that attempts to reach district authorities have gone unanswered, leaving them without guidance or timelines for restoration of supply. “Gas is available, but supply is being denied citing administrative reasons. If this continues, we will be left with no option but to shut down operations,” said Sachin Shanbhag, a senior office-bearer of the Kolhapur Hotel Owners’ Association. Hotel operators also underline their longstanding role in public service, particularly during emergencies. From floods in Kolhapur to disasters beyond the state, the fraternity has repeatedly mobilised resources to provide food and relief — often at short notice and personal cost. During the Bhuj earthquake, Kolhapur-based operators were among the first to set up community kitchens for affected families. The current impasse, therefore, raises a broader question of administrative accountability. If the state can rely on the sector during crises, stakeholders argue, it must also ensure that the industry’s own operational needs are not neglected. Unless the supply chain is normalised quickly and gas is made available in line with declared quotas, the fallout could be severe. Apart from the immediate risk to thousands of livelihoods, Kolhapur’s tourism sector — still in a phase of recovery — could face a significant setback, undermining economic momentum in the region. Despite announcements by the Centre and the state to increase gas quotas for hotels and food processing units, local distributors are refusing supply, claiming the decision is limited to the national level. While they acknowledge that stock is available, supply continues to be denied citing prevailing conditions. Sachin Shanbhag, President, Kolhapur Hotel Owners’ Association

Fiery BJP-Shiv Sena clashes rock politics

Fiery BJP-Shiv Sena clashes rock politics

Devendra Fadnavis Eknath Shinde
Devendra Fadnavis Eknath Shinde

Mumbai: Another episode of the cold war between Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde was seen on Monday when the state legislature gathered for the day’s business. A visibly angry Shinde came down heavily on Satara Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi for allegedly manhandling his trusted aide Shambhuraj Desai a few days ago. In a strongly worded statement he called the incident as “murder of democracy” leaving Fadnavis upset.


Doshi is known as a close confidant of the CM, who also holds the home portfolio.


A prompt action by Deputy Chairperson of the Legislative Council Neelam Gorhe also added to the fissures between ruling partners, the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Gorhe ordered suspension of Doshi with immediate effect based on Desai’s complaint made in the House. Jaykumar Gore, a BJP minister, was prompt to oppose the suspension. “Please revoke the SP’s suspension as it has been ordered without going into the fact finding,” he said.


The tussle was an aftermath of the bitterly fought election of Satara Zila Parishad president last week. The BJP had registered a surprise victory in a contest the Shiv Sena–NCP bloc expected to win. BJP candidate Pooja Shinde, wife of Shiv Sena MLA Mahesh Shinde, had emerged as winner in that election. Reports of cross voting and last minute defections altered the expected outcome. Shiv Sena leaders alleged that two councillors were stopped from voting after being detained by police while on their way to the ZP building.


Desai told the Legislative Council that was manhandled by police personnel in plain clothes as he tried to enter the ZP building before the said election. “I was beaten by the police when I was going into the ZP building. I was bleeding,” Desai said describing the incident as unprecedented in his four decades in politics.


The allegation prompted Gorhe to order the suspension of Doshi and to direct local authorities to preserve CCTV footage of the incident.


Judicial Probe

Shiv Sena and NCP leaders demanded a judicial probe and attacked the BJP led Home Department in the Council, accusing the administration of allowing the BJP to engineer the result. The party’s charge sheet included claims that BJP workers were allowed inside the ZP building while Sena members were blocked. Gorhe’s order escalated the matter into a full blown institutional confrontation.


The BJP pushed back, defending the police and urging that facts be ascertained before punitive action. Gore, the BJP minister who led the party’s campaign in Satara, said the police were responsible for maintaining law and order and that only ZP councillors should have been inside the building during the election. He warned against suspending an IPS officer without first obtaining factual reports and suggested that thousands of workers had entered the premises, complicating the security situation.


Split in Sena

What has made the episode particularly damaging for the Sena is the public split within its own ranks. Mahesh Shinde openly contradicted Desai and accused him of acting out of frustration after an alleged plan to realign locally with the Congress and NCP SP failed. Mahesh Shinde said the local Sena cadre had been prepared to remain with the Mahayuti alliance and rejected Desai’s purported designs. He alleged that some of the people accompanying Desai faced criminal charges, including kidnapping, and that a scuffle had followed a complaint lodged by the son of an alleged kidnap victim.


The confrontation echoes earlier intra party tensions that have simmered since the party’s split and the rise of Eknath Shinde as a dominant force in state politics.


Emotional Rift

CM Fadnavis said the matter would be investigated and that action would follow the findings. His assurance did little to calm the storm in the legislature, where Shiv Sena ministers staged protests and demanded stern action against police officers.


Opposition parties seized on the controversy to allege “Operation Lotus” tactics and to question the fairness of the election process.


Beyond the immediate disciplinary and legal questions, the Satara episode has revealed deeper strategic and emotional rifts within the ruling coalition.

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