Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday shot off a letter to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri seeking urgent intervention to address “disruptions” in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders in Bengaluru.
In a letter to the Union Minister, the Chief Minister said the “shortage” appears to have arisen following a revised order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas prioritising LPG production and directing that LPG supplied by Oil Marketing Companies be marketed exclusively for domestic consumers.
While appreciating the intention behind the order to ensure uninterrupted supply of LPG to households across the country, Siddaramaiah said its implementation had resulted in an unintended shortage of commercial LPG in Bengaluru.
He noted that several hotel and restaurant associations in the city had reported difficulties in procuring commercial LPG cylinders and warned that some establishments might be forced to temporarily shut down if supplies were not restored soon.
“Bengaluru has a large ecosystem of small restaurants, mess facilities and catering units that serve lakhs of people every day,” the Chief Minister stated in the letter.
According to the Chief Minister, discussions with Oil Marketing Companies revealed that the state’s commercial LPG demand has traditionally been supported by three companies – Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL).
He said IOCL normally supplies around 500 to 550 metric tonnes of commercial LPG per day, HPCL about 300 metric tonnes and BPCL around 230 metric tonnes. The sudden disruption in this supply, he said, was severely affecting hotels, catering establishments and other commercial users in Bengaluru.
Siddaramaiah cautioned that any disruption to the functioning of these establishments would directly affect daily life in the city.
He also pointed out that the issue impacts a large number of students and working professionals who live away from their homes and depend on hotels and mess facilities for their daily meals.
In addition, choultries (wedding halls), hostels and event venues that rely on commercial LPG for food preparation are also facing uncertainty, particularly with social and community events already scheduled.
Given the scale of dependence on commercial LPG in a metropolitan city like Bengaluru, the Chief Minister requested the Union Minister’s intervention to ensure adequate supply of commercial LPG to hotels, restaurants, choultries, community halls and other commercial establishments.
He also sought appropriate directions to the Oil Marketing Companies to address the current supply constraints.
“A timely resolution will help ensure that businesses continue to operate smoothly while also avoiding inconvenience to thousands of citizens who rely on these services on a daily basis,” Siddaramaiah said in the letter, urging the Union government to take necessary action at the earliest.
(IANS)
