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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Commercial LPG 'evaporates' in Maharashtra

Mumbai : The short supply of commercial LPG cylinders turned ‘grim’ on Wednesday as hundreds of small and medium eateries – on whom the ordinary working Mumbaikars depend on for daily meals – shut down or drastically trimmed menus, on Wednesday.   With an estimated 50,000-plus hotels, restaurants and small food joints, the crunch is beginning to be felt severely, said Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) vice-president and Hotel and Restaurant Association Western...

Commercial LPG 'evaporates' in Maharashtra

Mumbai : The short supply of commercial LPG cylinders turned ‘grim’ on Wednesday as hundreds of small and medium eateries – on whom the ordinary working Mumbaikars depend on for daily meals – shut down or drastically trimmed menus, on Wednesday.   With an estimated 50,000-plus hotels, restaurants and small food joints, the crunch is beginning to be felt severely, said Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) vice-president and Hotel and Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI) spokesperson Pradeep Shetty.   “We are in continuous touch with the concerned authorities, but the situation is very gloomy. There is no response from the Centre or the Ministry of Petroleum on when the situation will ease. We fear that more than 50 pc of all eateries in Mumbai will soon down the shutters. The same will apply to the rest of the state and many other parts of India,” Shetty told  ‘ The Perfect Voice’ .   The shortage of commercial LPG has badly affected multiple sectors, including the hospitality and food industries, mass private or commercial kitchens and even the laundry businesses, industry players said.   At their wits' ends, many restaurateurs resorted to the reliable old iron ‘chulhas’ (stoves) fired by either coal or wood - the prices of which have also shot up and result in pollution - besides delaying the cooking.   Anticipating a larger crisis, even domestic LPG consumers besieged retail dealers in Mumbai, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Ratnagiri, Kolhapur, Akola, Nagpur to book their second cylinder, with snaky queues in many cities. The stark reality of the 12-days old Gulf war with the disturbed supplies has hit the people and industries in the food supply chains that feed crores daily.   “The ordinary folks leave home in the morning after breakfast, then they rely on the others in the food chain for their lunch or dinner. Many street retailers have also shut down temporarily,” said Shetty.   Dry Snacks A quick survey of some suburban ‘khau gullies’ today revealed that the available items were mostly cold sandwiches, fruit or vegetable salads, cold desserts or ice-creams, cold beverages and packed snacks. Few offered the regular ‘piping hot’ foods that need elaborate cooking, or charging higher than normal menu rates, and even the app-based food delivery system was impacted.   Many people were seen gloomily munching on colorful packets of dry snacks like chips, chivda, sev, gathiya, samosas, etc. for lunch, the usually cheerful ‘chai ki dukaans’ suddenly disappeared from their corners, though soft drinks and tetrapaks were available.   Delay, Scarcity  Maharashtra LPG Dealers Association President Deepak Singh yesterday conceded to “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 is with commercial cylinders but even those are available though less in numbers,” said Singh, adding that guidelines to prioritise educational institutions, hospitals, and defence, are being followed, but others are also getting their supplies.   Despite the assurances, Shetty said that the current status is extremely serious since the past week and the intermittent disruptions have escalated into a near-total halt in supplies in many regions since Monday.   Adding to the dismal picture is the likelihood of local hoteliers associations in different cities like Pune, Palghar, Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and more resorting to tough measures from Thursday, including temporary shutdown of their outlets, which have run out of gas stocks.

Nagpur Violence: Woman Police Officer Assaulted as Clashes Escalate, Curfew Remains in Place

Updated: Mar 20, 2025

Amid ongoing curfew, an FIR reveals shocking details of a woman police officer being assaulted and misbehaved with during the unrest


Nagpur Violence

Nagpur: A recent First Information Report (FIR) filed at Ganeshpeth Police Station has exposed disturbing details of violence against police personnel during the recent clashes in Nagpur. According to the FIR, an accused individual inappropriately touched an on-duty woman police officer from the RCP squad and made obscene gestures towards multiple women officers.

The identity of the accused remains unconfirmed, and no official reports have stated whether he has been arrested yet, ANI reported.

Security Tightened Amid Curfew

Following the violent clashes on March 17, authorities have imposed a strict curfew in 11 police station areas. While most parts of Nagpur are gradually returning to normalcy, security forces continue to monitor sensitive regions to prevent further unrest.

What Led to the Violence?

The unrest erupted during a protest led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, demanding the removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The demonstration took a violent turn, resulting in large-scale disruptions. In response, the police enforced curfews, conducted route marches, and intensified security patrols to maintain order.

CM Fadnavis Calls Violence ‘Pre-Planned’

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addressed the Assembly, describing the Nagpur violence as a “pre-planned conspiracy.” He linked the unrest to the growing sentiments following the release of the movie Chhava, which has reignited discussions about Aurangzeb’s historical actions.

“The Chhava movie has intensified people’s anger against Aurangzeb, but it is essential to maintain peace in Maharashtra,” Fadnavis stated. He condemned the attacks on police personnel and assured strict action against those responsible.

Targeted Attacks on Police

Addressing the Assembly, Fadnavis revealed that misinformation played a crucial role in escalating the violence. “Rumors were spread about the desecration of religious items, misleading people and provoking unrest. This appears to be a well-planned attack,” he said.

According to the CM, around 80 individuals engaged in stone-pelting and directly targeted police officers. “One officer was attacked with an axe, while three Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) sustained injuries,” he added.

Authorities continue to investigate the violence, reviewing CCTV footage and witness statements. Further arrests are expected as the probe progresses.

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