Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday expressed serious concern over the availability of cooking gas in the country in the backdrop of tensions in West Asia, and requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to ensure adequate supply and take urgent measures to mitigate the impact of price rise.

In a statement, Vijayan said concerns have been raised in the country regarding the availability of LPG following the conflicts in West Asia.

With the recent hike in cooking gas prices, the financial burden on ordinary families has already increased, he noted.

Reports have also emerged about cooking gas shortages in various parts of Kerala, he said, adding that limiting the booking interval for domestic LPG connections to 27 days has further worsened the situation.

The chief minister said there were apprehensions that uncertainty in LPG supply could also affect the service sector, including hotels and restaurants in the state.

Workers travelling between districts and migrant labourers arriving from other states mainly depend on these establishments for food, he pointed out.

If the disruption in gas supply continues, many establishments may be forced to halt operations, the business community has warned, he added.

Vijayan also pointed out that the demand for cooking gas among households is likely to increase as it is the month of Ramadan.

In this situation affecting the lives of ordinary people as well as the business sector, the Centre should urgently intervene to ensure adequate availability of LPG and reduce the impact of the price rise, he said.

The chief minister requested the prime minister to take steps to ensure LPG supply for domestic consumers and hotels, and consider putting in place a protection mechanism, including providing a subsidy from budgetary resources if required.