Commercial LPG supply to hotels may be reduced as Centre prioritises households: Chhagan Bhujbal

Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Tuesday said that commercial LPG supply to hotels and restaurants may be reduced in the coming days as the Centre has directed oil companies to prioritise domestic consumers amid disruptions in the global fuel supply chain caused by the escalating West Asia conflictIn a video message Bhujbal said the state government has been informed that domestic LPG supply must be given priority which could lead to a temporary reduction in the availability of commercial cylinders used by hotels and eateriesCommercial LPG supply may be curtailedBhujbal said several hotel owners had recently met him to express concerns about potential supply shortages of Liquefied Petroleum Gas LPG following developments in global energy marketsldquoThey requested that if commercial LPG supply has to be reduced it should be done gradually so that businesses can adjustrdquo the minister saidHe added that he had personally discussed the issue with Chief Minister Devendra FadnavisldquoThere are clear instructions from the Central government to all oil companies to prioritise domestic gas supply Hence in due course there will be a reduction in commercial gas supplyrdquo Bhujbal saidHotel industry likely to face operational challengesThe minister acknowledged that the decision could impact the hospitality sector particularly in Mumbai where a large number of hotels and restaurants rely on commercial LPG cylinders for daily operationsHe said the possibility of eateries using kerosene as an alternative fuel was discussed during meetings with hotel owners However industry representatives expressed serious safety concernsAccording to Bhujbal hotel operators said switching to kerosene would require major changes to their existing kitchen infrastructure and operational systemsGovt warns against hoarding of LPG cylindersMeanwhile Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule warned that strict action will be taken against individuals or businesses found hoarding LPG cylindersSpeaking to reporters at Vidhan Bhavan during the ongoing state legislature Budget Session Bawankule said district collectors across Maharashtra have been instructed to monitor supply and act against hoardingldquoThe governmentrsquos priority is to ensure uninterrupted supply of domestic gas In a crisislike situation commercial supplies are bound to be affected but we will ensure that the disruption does not continue for a long periodrdquo he saidOpposition criticised over gas supply remarksBawankule also criticised the Congress alleging that the opposition party was attempting to create confusion among citizens over the LPG supply situationldquoThe Congress should not indulge in politics during such a situation In times of crisis they should stand with the government rather than create unnecessary confusionrdquo he saidWest Asia conflict impacts LPG importsIndia consumes approximately 313 million tonnes of LPG annually of which nearly 87 per cent is used for domestic cooking in households The remaining portion is used by commercial establishments such as hotels and restaurantsAround 62 per cent of Indiarsquos LPG demand is met through importsThe current supply concerns have emerged following military escalation in West Asia Attacks involving the United States and Israel on Iran and the subsequent retaliation from Tehran have disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of HormuzThe narrow waterway is a critical energy corridor through which around 85ndash90 per cent of Indiarsquos LPG imports from West Asian countries including Saudi Arabia and Qatar are transportedOfficials said the government is closely monitoring the situation and taking steps to ensure that domestic consumers continue to receive uninterrupted cooking gas supplies despite the global disruptionsWith inputs from Agencies