Kochi | An LPG shortage is forcing around 40 per cent of restaurants in Kerala to shut down as many establishments are unable to switch to alternative cooking methods, industry representatives said.
Apart from restaurants, caterers, hostels, canteens and crematoriums have also been affected by the LPG shortage following the conflict in West Asia.
G Jayapal, president of the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA), told PTI that by Friday around 40 per cent of restaurants in the state would shut down.
"Till Thursday, around 20 per cent of restaurants had closed. The number will increase to 40 per cent by Friday as LPG stocks will run out soon," he said.
Even though the central and state governments have suggested alternative cooking methods, the KHRA said that using firewood in hotels in urban areas is not feasible.
"As part of food safety standards, most restaurants in urban areas have adopted modern kitchen systems. They do not have arrangements for cooking with firewood or alternative fuels. Restaurants in urban areas are the worst hit by the crisis," he said.
Jayapal alleged that some private LPG suppliers were charging almost double the price for cylinders and that the price of firewood had also increased in the last two days.
"One of our members in Kasaragod said a private 17 kg LPG cylinder was supplied for Rs 3,000. The normal rate for a 19 kg cylinder is around Rs 1,800. Firewood prices have also skyrocketed, and it is not easy to switch to alternative measures," he said.
He said the situation could have been better managed if the government had alerted people to the possible shortage soon after the conflict in West Asia began.
"If they had informed us about the possible LPG shortage earlier, many restaurant owners would have had enough time to make alternative arrangements. Everything was normal till the beginning of this week, and the crisis started suddenly," he said.
The LPG shortage has also affected caterers in Kerala, with the crisis coming just as the marriage season is set to begin in the state, industry representatives said.
V Sunukumar, Thiruvananthapuram district president of the All Kerala Caterers Association, told PTI that the sector is facing difficulties as bookings have already been made for the upcoming wedding season beginning with the Malayalam month Medam on March 15.
"Apart from that, marriage functions in the Muslim community will start after Ramzan, which is next week. The Lent season of Christians will end early next month, after which more weddings will take place across Kerala," he said.
He said that apart from biryani cooking, most of the food prepared by caterers depends on LPG.
"At least the government can allow us to use domestic cylinders as a temporary measure. We are not even getting a single commercial LPG cylinder nowadays," he said.
Hostels with mess facilities have also been affected by the LPG shortage.
Suja, who runs a hostel in Kaloor, Kochi, told PTI that she has switched to firewood for the kitchen.
"However, in a city like Kochi, there is a shortage of firewood. After contacting multiple suppliers, we managed to stockpile firewood for a week. If the LPG crisis lasts longer, we will be forced to shut down the mess facility," she said.
Meanwhile, CPI(M) and the ruling LDF have launched protests demanding that the Centre resolve the LPG crisis.
The LDF held a mass protest in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday against the Centre over the LPG cylinder shortage, which is affecting the lives of people in the state.
The Kerala government on Thursday urged the Centre to increase the quota of non-domestic LPG cylinders allocated to the state following concerns over the shortage affecting various sectors.
Currently, the quota of non-domestic LPG cylinders allotted to the state is limited to 20 per cent. Considering the presence of a large number of migrant workers in Kerala, the state will request the Centre to increase the quota.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to address the shortage of cooking gas cylinders meant for non-domestic use.
The meeting also decided to set priority categories for distribution and to form an enforcement team to prevent black marketing and hoarding.
Hospitals, old-age homes, orphanages, schools, community kitchens and canteens in IT parks and factories will be given priority in the supply of LPG cylinders.
The Civil Supplies Department will also take steps to improve the supply of kerosene as an alternative fuel.
