Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)

Udupi, Mar 13: The Udupi District Hotel Owners Association has warned that hotels across the district will be shut down if the ongoing LPG supply problem is not resolved within a day.

The impact of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has begun to affect the coastal region, creating increasing difficulties for the hotel industry. Hotels and restaurants across the coastal belt are facing severe challenges in their day-to-day operations due to the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders.

In this backdrop, a meeting of the Udupi District Hotel Owners Association was held at Diana Hotel in Udupi on March 13, where hotel owners gathered to discuss the growing problems affecting their businesses. During the meeting, hotel owners held intense discussions regarding the daily operational difficulties faced by hotels and restaurants. Members expressed concern over the worsening situation and the challenges in continuing their services.

The association also discussed possible measures to address the crisis. As part of the decision taken during the meeting, the hotel owners resolved to meet the district administration and submit their grievances to the Deputy Commissioner, seeking immediate intervention to resolve the issue.

Speaking on the occasion, MP Kota Srinivas Poojary said that the LPG shortage was a temporary problem caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict. “Earlier, only a few households used LPG, but today almost every household depends on it. Due to the present situation in the Middle East, there is a shortage of LPG. Yesterday, the Prime Minister and the petroleum minister announced that the issue will be resolved within a week. This is a temporary problem faced by the whole world. I will call a meeting with the deputy commissioner to discuss possible solutions, and I request everyone to cooperate and adjust for the time being,” he said.

Association president Tallur Shivaram Shetty said that the district administration had informed them that only 25 percent of the required LPG could be supplied to the hotel sector, which he said was insufficient. “In some hotels, around three LPG cylinders are required daily. How can 25 percent supply be enough for us? Around 200 to 300 workers depend on this sector. If at least 50 percent supply is provided, we can manage by reducing the menu items. In today’s meeting, we have decided that if we are not provided with LPG cylinders, we will shut down all the hotels in the district,” he said.

He further stated that the MP has assured that he would speak with the Deputy Commissioner regarding the issue. “We will wait for his response. If we do not receive a satisfactory solution, we will proceed with shutting down hotels across the district. For the past three days, we have not received even a single LPG cylinder. The district administration has said that LPG will be supplied to schools, colleges and hospitals on priority. But what about the hotel sector?” he questioned.

Dinesh Putran of Puthran Gas said that initially the authorities had informed that the country had sufficient LPG stock that could last for about 90 days. “However, from Monday the supply suddenly stopped and we were asked to inform customers accordingly. Now the authorities have instructed us to prioritize LPG supply to schools, colleges, hospitals and Indira Canteens and asked us to provide the list of such consumers,” he said.

A memorandum highlighting the concerns of the hotel industry was submitted to MP Kota Srinivas Poojary on the occasion.

The meeting was attended by Nagesh Bhat, Lakshman Nayak, Vittal Pai and other members of the association.