LPG shortage: Kerala govt makes crucial move, will monitor stock

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala has set up a special war room to deal with the ongoing cooking gas crisis. The move comes after the central government imposed restrictions on Liquefied Petroleum Gas distribution across the country following supply disruptions caused by the West Asia conflict. In response to the shortage, a war room has been established at the Civil Supplies Commissionerate in Thiruvananthapuram to closely monitor LPG stock levels in the state.

Considering Kerala’s unique situation as a consumer state, the state government has requested oil companies to relax restrictions on LPG meant for commercial use. Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil has written to Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri seeking necessary relief.

The government has also asked oil companies to ensure priority supply of commercial LPG cylinders to essential sectors such as old-age homes, hospitals, orphanages, schools, community kitchens, school and college hostels, guest houses, and canteens in government and public sector offices.

In Kochi, nearly 70 percent of restaurants and eateries reportedly remained closed on Friday due to a lack of cooking gas. Restaurants that still had cylinder stocks are also moving towards a crisis. Some establishments have switched to firewood for cooking. If restaurants shut down completely, the state could even face a food supply problem.

In Thiruvananthapuram, vegetarian restaurants such as Udupi Restaurant and Aruna Restaurant have switched to cooking with firewood. In Kozhikode, the well-known Paragon Restaurant Kozhikode has reduced its menu but continues to serve high-demand dishes. Operations at railway canteens and Indian Coffee House outlets have also been disrupted, with many temporarily shutting down due to the LPG shortage.