Maharashtra gasps for ‘gas’

Workers load LPG cylinders at a depot following recent price hikes for both domestic and commercial units in Nagpur on Tuesday. | Pic: PTI

Mumbai: An abrupt shortage of commercial LPG cylinders gripped many parts of Mumbai and Maharashtra hitting the hospitality sector and raising fears of a larger crisis as the Centre invoked the stringent Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1968, in a warning to potential hoarders.

Mumbai and surroundings are feeling the pinch of the commercial LPG (19-kg) cylinders used in restaurants, hotels, caterers, street-food vendors and other players in the food supply chains that feed crores daily.

Dealers claim that LPG supplies have been delayed or dropped sharply since last weekend, creating panic even among domestic consumers.

Maharashtra LPG dealers association president Deepak Singh admitted “some delays due to supply shortages” of commercial cylinders, but assured that there is no scarcity of domestic cylinders.

“We are adhering to the Centre’s guidelines for a 25 days booking period between 2 cylinders (domestic). The issue with commercial cylinders but even those are available though less in numbers. We are following the government’s guidelines by prioritising educational institutions, hospitals, and defence, but others are also getting their supplies,” said Singh in a social media statement.

However, the hotels and restaurants bodies said that around 20 pc of eateries, particularly the smaller ones have temporarily shut shop, and around 50 pc may down shutters within the next few days if the LPG supplies don’t normalise.

FHRAI Vice-President and HRAWI Western India Spokesperson Pradeep Shetty said that “shortage of commercial LPG has become extremely serious over the past week”, with intermittent disruptions escalating into a near complete halt in supply in several regions since yesterday.

The Ministry of Petroleum’s notification (March 5) created confusion among suppliers and distributors, many of whom have stopped supplying commercial LPG cylinders to hotels, restaurants and food service establishments, he pointed out.

Shetty said severe shortages are reported from Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur, and similar disruptions in many other states and if the situation doesn’t improve by Thursday, there could be huge repercussions.

“Nearly 50 pc of Mumbai hotels and restaurants may be forced to close down temporarily depending on the LPG stock they currently hold. This will affect international tourists both, who are already here and those who will be visiting the country. Smaller and medium-sized eateries will be the first to be impacted, as they typically operate with limited reserves,” Shetty warned.

A housewife from Vasai, Ruma M. Bose today rushed to buy an induction stove and even repaired an old electric picnic stove to keep the domestic fires burning, just in case, though her society has a piped gas supply.

Retail dealers in Mumbai reported bookings by anxious domestic consumers after the refill period gap was extended to 25 days, though there are no confirmed instances of any black-marketing of LPG cylinders.

Thousands of distributors

Of India’s around 33.20 crore consumers, Maharashtra accounts for some 55-lakhs in domestic, commercial and industrial categories, with thousands of distributors dotting the state.

More than 75-80 pc of the hospitality sector depends on commercial LPG, and shortages or disruptions can deal a fatal blow. Mumbai alone has over 50,000 big and small eateries, and as per AHAR, 20 pc have shut shop for now, and upto 50 pc may soon follow suit.