Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Mar 20: Amidst a worsening pan-India fuel shortage, Karnataka chief minister (CM) Siddaramaiah has once again reached out to the Union government, seeking immediate intervention to address the severe LPG scarcity gripping the state.

In a formal letter addressed to union minister for petroleum and natural gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, the CM highlighted that several industries and the hospitality sector are on the verge of a shutdown due to the non-availability of commercial cylinders.

CM Siddaramaiah noted that the state is currently facing a massive deficit, with a requirement for at least 50,000 LPG cylinders to stabilize the situation. Currently, the supply chain is only capable of delivering approximately 1,000 cylinders per day, a fraction of the actual demand.

The crisis has hit restaurants, hotels, catering units, and paying guest (PG) accommodations the hardest. "Many hotels and PGs are facing a situation where they might have to close down. This affects a large section of society, including students, IT employees, farmers, and dairy producers who depend on the hospitality sector," the CM stated in his letter.

The shortage has also extended to the transport sector, with LPG-run auto-rickshaws struggling to find fuel, leading to disrupted livelihoods for drivers. Meanwhile, domestic consumers are seen crowding distribution centres as fears of a total stock-out grow.

Pointing to recent reports of India receiving two large oil and gas tankers at its ports, the CM urged the central government to ensure an equitable distribution of the newly arrived stock. He requested the union minister to intervene and prioritize Karnataka's allocation to resolve the current availability crisis.

The CM’s second letter within a short span underscores the gravity of the energy crisis, which is largely attributed to the ongoing global supply chain disruptions caused by the conflict in West Asia and the resulting surge in international fuel prices.