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...

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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.

Sports Ministry lifts WFI suspension, clearing path for wrestling events

Correspondent
Mar 11, 2025
2 min read

Months of uncertainty end as ministry revokes Wrestling Federation of India's suspension

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has regained its official status after the Sports Ministry revoked its suspension, bringing relief to athletes and officials. This decision paves the way for the resumption of competitions, including selection trials for the upcoming Asian Championship in Amman.

The WFI had been suspended on December 24, 2023, following governance and procedural lapses by the newly elected body, which took charge just three days earlier. A key concern was the announcement of Under-15 and Under-20 National Championships at Nandini Nagar, Gonda—an area associated with former WFI president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing sexual harassment allegations. The government's objection to this venue contributed to the suspension.

Ministry’s Conditions for Reinstatement

In its order lifting the suspension, the Sports Ministry stated that WFI had addressed its compliance issues. However, it set conditions, including ensuring a fair balance of power among elected office bearers and distancing itself from suspended or terminated officials. The WFI executive committee must submit an official undertaking within four weeks, with violations risking further legal action under the Sports Code.

Sanjay Singh, the WFI president, welcomed the ministry’s decision. “I thank the government for this step. It allows us to function smoothly, and most importantly, it’s a relief for our athletes who have been missing competitions,” he said.

Impact of the Suspension

Indian wrestlers were unable to participate in key international Ranking Series events in Zagreb and Albania due to the suspension. Legal battles involving top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Satyawart Kadian, further complicated the situation.

The court had instructed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to reinstate an ad-hoc panel to manage WFI affairs. However, the IOA declined, citing that United World Wrestling (UWW), the sport’s global governing body, only recognizes the WFI as the official authority for Indian wrestling.

With the suspension lifted, normalcy is expected to return to Indian wrestling, allowing athletes to focus on upcoming competitions.

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