LPG crisis: Madhya Pradesh traders body seek limited gas supply to prevent shutdown of hotels, eateries

Core Viewpoint - The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has urged the Madhya Pradesh administration to restore a limited supply of commercial LPG cylinders to prevent the complete shutdown of the hospitality and food service sector in Bhopal, which could threaten thousands of livelihoods and disrupt the food supply [9]. Industry Impact - The ongoing crisis in West Asia has led to a shortage of LPG in the country, impacting the hospitality sector significantly [4][9]. - If the LPG supply is not restored within days, the entire hospitality and food service sector in Bhopal may face closure, affecting daily food services for citizens [5][9]. Alternative Solutions - Business owners have ordered induction-based cooking systems as an alternative; however, these systems may take seven to ten days to arrive, and restaurants would need to increase their power capacity to operate them, making this option impractical [6][9]. - The suggestion to switch to wood-fire cooking is deemed unfeasible due to safety, hygiene concerns, and the design of modern gas-based kitchens [7][9]. Demand for Essential Services - CAIT has requested that the food service sector be treated as an essential service, similar to its status during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it receives limited relief in LPG supply to ensure the food supply system in the city is not disrupted [2][8][9].