Berhampur: Fast food joints have raised prices of idli, dosa and vada among plenty of other dishes amid shortage of supply of commercial LPG. Price of each item has been hiked by Rs 2 to Rs 10, while the crisis and the district administration’s crackdown on unauthorised use of LPG have forced shut many small eateries.Idli, vada, puri sold at Rs 5 a piece, are now selling at Rs 7. Similarly, prices of upma and dosa have been increased from Rs 10 and Rs 30 per serving to Rs 15 and Rs 40, respectively.
“The cooking gas crisis, along with the increase of the price of edible oil, has forced the price of different tiffin items,” said a hotelier. To run the hotels, he was forced to procure domestic LPG cylinders from some customers, who have surplus LPG cylinders by paying higher prices, he said, preferring anonymity. “As we have to spent more for fuel and cooking oil, we have to increased the price of items on the menu,” he added.Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, who sells ghuguni near Khallikote Unitary University, has also hiked the price from Rs 25 to Rs 30 per plate. Kiosks selling chowmein, momo, fried items and jilabi near the university, Giri Road and other areas, every afternoon, have kept shutters down.“Short supply of commercial LPG and administrative crackdown for use of domestic cylinders for non commercial purpose, has forced me to stop running the unit,” said Brundaban Panda, a jilabi maker near Bijipur. “We hope the situation normalises after LPG tankers arrive,” he added.Subharaj Samantara, assistant civil supply officer (ACSO), Berhampur, however, said there was no short supply of the LPG in Berhampur. As on Thursday, they have stocked 369 and 6,272 commercial and domestic LPG cylinders of different companies. He said in a joint raid conducted by the civil supply and BeMC officials recently, they seized 31 cooking gas cylinders, including 29 commercial and two domestic, respectively, he said.
