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...

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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

When the Princess Left Her Fortress…

Anishkaa Muthe
Dec 30, 2024
4 min read

Updated: Jan 2, 2025

I recently saw a movie, it had this dialogue “teenage girls are psychopaths” and maybe it is right, maybe we are a generation full of messed up kids trying to survive in this deathly jungle we’ve created for ourselves. And this survival gets harder when you’re a 16-year-old that moves into a city way bigger than their own, to ‘step into the world’ with rosy dreams and rosy expectations. I am one of those 16-year-olds, who with very romanticised notions, very naively decided to step into the ‘City of Dreams’: Mumbai.

Mumbai, is probably 10 times the size of my not very humble, but very little town. Moving to Mumbai was my dream since 1st grade, and when that dream manifested, I was on Cloud 9. I thought my life would be perfect, I’d have the perfect group of friends, I’d go to fancy parties, I’d do lots of events in college, I’d be known, I’d be in my ‘Academic Beast’ ‘It Girl’ era and what not; but reality is pretty far from any of that. Back in my town, I was the top of the hierarchy, the Perfect Girl, centre of attention, the Lovely Queen; after moving to Mumbai, my life of the last 13yrs came crashing down on me. I became this introverted, invisible person; the friends’ group or lots of parties definitely did not happen, neither did the academic beast and It girl era.

I came to realise that Mumbai, no matter how pretty, beautiful and picture-worthy, is very harsh and extremely tough. No matter how much anyone says ‘Mumbai embraces all’, the ‘All’ still do feel left out to some extent, when everyone around you is this confident Mumbai Kid and you’re this awkward girl from out of town who knows nothing about the city, its people or its ‘culture’, who’s trying to push through this humongous crowd that’s, without trying very hard, swallowing you down; but standing here, watching this city move past me, I wonder Does Mumbai really not bother about anyone Or Is it just not willing to let you in?

But there’s still something to hang on to, somewhere to belong, isn’t there? When you go back home and you have friends there; Spoiler Alert: you don’t. When I went back home for my first holiday, I realised I didn’t belong there anymore, now I was the Mumbai Girl; 13yrs lost and forgotten, within 3 months. That’s when it hit ‘I’m all alone now’ neither do I belong in Mumbai, neither do I back at home. Trust me, I have never felt more lost in my life.

I’m the kind of people who thrive on attention and external validation, to have that very thing taken from me was very hard to live with. So, I chose to cope by holding on, holding on how? Well, simple tactic, making an indirect statement saying “you excluded me, but I belong in places better than you” how I did that? I held onto my past self, my actions were based on how pretty, fun and ‘happening’ my life was to look on Instagram. I did have fun, not that I didn’t, but most of it was for the eyes of the world and not my own satisfaction [it still is that way, I haven’t gotten any better yet].

Then came my midterms, and I wasn’t as great as I thought I’d be and my extracurriculars weren’t anything major either. That made me realise that I was like any other kid around me here, unlike when I was back home, always the different one, the one that stood out, and suddenly I didn’t anymore, I was ordinary. The realisation hit me, right in the face, hard and strong, that in this huge ocean, I was no whale or shark, just another little fish in the Shoal. My future suddenly became scary, thinking about college and university became terrifying and I just wanted to avoid it all, simply run away [I still do, sometimes] And now, I’m a mess.

But not all of it was bad honestly, Mumbai taught me a lot of things, it humbled me and it helped see: within myself and so many things about myself that I never really knew and were suddenly crystal clear in front of my eyes, as if a very loud noise had been shut down and I could hear clearly again. Back at home, I had this persona designated to me: ‘The Perfect Girl’ and suddenly I didn’t have to be anyone anymore, it was harder that way honestly, to not have a script to follow anymore. I had to discover myself and who I truly was for the first time Ever; I think that’s what I’m doing now, getting to know myself beyond who I was 6 months ago.

Things aren’t any better right now, I don’t think they will be for very long and sometimes moving here may seem like the biggest mistake I’ve ever made, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. So, this new year I have one resolution: I’m going to find who I am, a new persona, a new person, not defined by her past self, past life and this Social Jungle of teenagers she’s surviving in. This new year will be of rediscovery. So, here’s to 2025 and to all of us, whose lives changed because they stepped into the big, bad world out there; let us all be proud of ourselves as this year ends, because leaving our homes and lives behind is not easy and we lived that down: The Shift, the way it hit our egos and shattered our sense of belonging, but we didn’t run away, we strived through it and are surviving to see the light of day.

So, A Very Happy New Year People.

(The author is a student of St. Xavier College, Mumbai.)

1 Comment

Jayaram Kousik .

Jun 12, 2025

Great write, yes Mumbai is a jungle and you have to fund your true bearings and none towards your destination