LPG shortage hits Odisha, long queues at gas agencies

Bhubaneswar: A shortage of cooking gas has emerged in Odisha due to disruptions in supply caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. As a result, LPG cylinders are not reaching consumers on time, leading to long queues outside gas agencies across several areas.

Consumers complain that even after booking cylinders 20to25 days in advance, they are still not receiving deliveries. In Bhadrak and nearby regions alone, there are around 33,000 LPG consumers. Earlier, LPG agencies in Bhadrak used to receive about 12,000 cylinders every month, but the supply has now dropped to around 8,000 cylinders.

Due to this reduced supply, customers are facing delays despite making bookings well in advance, leading to growing dissatisfaction among consumers. Gas agencies, however, say that certain issues related to the one-month booking cycle and the OTP-based delivery system are also causing minor complications.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that the Middle East conflict has created a shortage of fuel gas. The Bhubaneswar Hotel and Restaurant Association has warned that hotels and restaurants in the city may begin shutting down within the next two days if the situation does not improve.

Currently, nearly 20 percent of commercial gas supply has already been halted, creating major difficulties for hotels and restaurants. In several major cities across the country, some hotels have already started closing due to the shortage. If the situation continues, Bhubaneswar may face a similar scenario soon.

Although the disruption in gas supply has not yet directly affected consumers significantly, it has already started impacting business owners. With gas prices rising and supply becoming irregular, food prices may soon double, industry representatives warned.

The association also stated that there is no alternative to gas for the hotel and restaurant industry. Running such a large industry solely on electric equipment is not practical.

Odisha Hotel and Restaurant Association President Srinivas Subuddhi said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government had described the hotel industry as frontline workers. Even now, the industry continues to provide services without hesitation, and the government should pay attention to their concerns.