Kullu: The hotel and restaurant industry in Himachal Pradesh has raised alarm over an acute shortage of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), warning that many establishments may be forced to shut down if cooking gas supplies are not restored immediately.Hotel associations from Manali, Shimla and Dharamshala — the state’s primary tourism hubs — said a majority of hotels, dhabas and restaurants are considering trimming their menus to conserve fuel, while some have already started shutting their premises.In Shimla, hotels, restaurants and roadside eateries have begun feeling the heat as supplies of commercial cylinders were disrupted and refilling was temporarily halted by the administration amid concerns linked to the ongoing Israel–Iran conflict.The president of Shimla Hotel and Tourism Stakeholders Association, Mohinder Seth, said: “Most hotels are on the brink of closing their businesses temporarily due to the LPG shortage. If the commercial gas supply is not restored, most establishments will be forced to pull the shutter within a day or two. It’s off season these days; otherwise, all the hotels would be closed by now.” He added that a banquet hall owner in Shimla returned the advance money he received for organising a function as he was not able to refill the cooking gas.“The situation worsened due to the lack of alternatives for preparing staff meals. In the absence of viable options, the LPG shortage threatens the wellbeing of our workforce and the continuity of essential services,” added Seth.According to hoteliers, the kitchens of all the hotels run on LPG, and even the clay ovens (tandoors) are gas-fitted, so it is not viable or easy to switch over to electric cooking.The association demanded that the tourism department and the local administration temporarily allow part of the domestic LPG supply for commercial use to prevent an industry shutdown, which it says is “inevitable”.‘Last LPG supply on March 6′The situation is similar in other tourist spots of the state, including Manali, Kasol, Dharamshala and Kasauli. According to gas suppliers in Kullu, the LPG supply for commercial use in the district stopped for around a week.“We received the last LPG supply on March 6, and no fresh stock arrived after that. We ran out of the commercial cylinders, and the chances of fresh supply in the near future appear bleak,” said a Kullu-based dealer of an LPG supplier agency. “The domestic supply remains unaffected for the time being,” he added.Gajendra Thakur, the chief patron of Manali Hoteliers Association, told TOI: “The situation is really bad. I don’t think most hotels and restaurants can hold on to their cooking gas for more than two to three days, or even less. A crisis is looming large over the hotel industry, especially small and medium establishments, and the govt will have to step in fast to save it,” said Thakur.“The crisis may also adversely affect the experience of tourists visiting the state and ultimately impact the tourism economy,” he added.Hoteliers seek petroleum min’s intervention Thakur, who is the president of the Federation of Himachal Hotels & Restaurant Association, also wrote to Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Hardeep Puri, requesting him to take necessary steps to ensure adequate and uninterrupted supply of commercial LPG cylinders across the country, particularly to tourism-oriented states like Himachal Pradesh.The association also demanded that the minister take suitable measures “to stabilise the supply chain and provide priority allocation to the hospitality sector so that hotels and restaurants can continue their services without disruption.”A similar letter was also sent by the Hotels & Restaurant Association, Dharamshala, president Ashwani Bamba to the petroleum minister, requesting his intervention and demanding consistent and prioritised supply of commercial LPG cylinders to tourism-driven states like Himachal Pradesh. The association also demanded measures within the supply chain to prevent hoarding and ensure equitable distribution.According to Bamba, the situation is grim in Dharamshala.“The tourist rush to Dharamshala goes up during the weekends, but most hoteliers are not sure whether they should accept advance bookings given the LPG shortage. The LPG shortage also poses a threat to the livelihood of thousands of families dependent on this sector. If the LPG crisis continues for a few more days, the entire hotel industry would face a shutdown,” said Bamba. MSID:: 129456435 413 |
