Hyderabad/New Delhi, March 14 – IPU Media Update News: The gas crisis in the country has reached a critical peak. From Mumbai to Ranchi, and from Chandigarh to Bengaluru—wherever one looks—hundreds of ordinary citizens have lined up outside gas agencies in a desperate bid to secure an LPG cylinder. Standing for hours under the scorching sun, many individuals are falling ill. In Punjab, an elderly man reportedly passed away after falling ill from standing for hours in the heat outside a gas agency while waiting for a refill. However, despite the gas supply crisis being clearly evident at the grassroots level, the Central Government remains indifferent to the situation, maintaining that there is no gas shortage in the country. Due to the scarcity of gas, hotels, messes, hostels, and paying guest accommodations in several cities have been forced to shut down; meanwhile, middlemen are exploiting the crisis to sell gas at exorbitant rates on the black market.

**Common People Standing for Hours in the Sun for Cooking Gas**

A tragic incident occurred in Sehna, a village in the Barnala district of Punjab. On Friday, a 60-year-old man died of cardiac arrest after standing for hours in the scorching sun to obtain cooking gas. The victim was identified as Bhushan Kumar. An agency manager in Chandigarh lamented that while LPG bookings have tripled in just the last two days, the supply is failing to keep pace with the demand. Meanwhile, in Vadodara, Gujarat, a woman standing in a queue for gas collapsed after losing consciousness, unable to withstand the intense heat. She was immediately rushed to a hospital. Reports indicate that similar incidents are occurring in other states as well, including Bengal, Odisha, and Karnataka.
**Nationwide Crisis in Gas Supply**

The gas crisis in Odisha has reached a critical level. Residents expressed their outrage after a gas agency in Jajpur Town put up a “No Stock” board and shut down its shop. Carrying empty gas cylinders, they staged a protest demonstration by blockading the road. Meanwhile, in Maharashtra specifically in Navi Mumbai, Nagpur, and various parts of Pune citizens queued up in large numbers outside gas agencies, holding empty cylinders. In Bihar, people formed queues with empty cylinders outside gas agencies in the capital, Patna, as well as in districts such as Bhagalpur, Rohtas, and Katihar. Citizens also queued up en masse outside gas agencies in several other states, including Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Rajasthan. However, many lamented that they were unable to secure a cylinder due to the insufficient supply of gas.

**Hotels Face Hard Times Due to Lack of Gas Supply**

Due to an insufficient supply of gas, hotels and restaurants have begun cooking food using firewood stoves and large induction cooktops. In Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, 70 percent of tiffin centers have shut down due to an LPG shortage. Star hotels have cancelled their buffet services, and over 60 hotels have closed their doors. In Bengaluru, Karnataka, hotels are operating with limited hours. Several tech companies have issued circulars informing employees that they must bring their own meals from home, as canteen services will not be available. Reports suggest that in Mumbai, 60 percent of hotels are prepared to shut down temporarily due to the gas shortage. In Kerala, 20 percent of hotels have already closed, and the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) has stated that this figure could reach 40 percent by Saturday. Hotel owners in Tamil Nadu have appealed to the Central Government to immediately resolve the issues plaguing the supply of commercial gas cylinders.

**Gas Supply Crisis Grips National Capital, Delhi**

The gas crisis has intensified in the national capital, Delhi. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has appealed to the Central Government to resolve the issues affecting gas supply, ensuring that meal services at their community kitchens can continue without disruption. Meanwhile, the burden on Delhi’s Atal Canteens has intensified further due to the gas shortage. Operators lamented that managing operations has become extremely difficult under the current circumstances. Citing the LPG shortage, several schools in Delhi sent messages to parents informing them that they would be unable to provide meals in their canteens. Some hotels and restaurants have drastically cut down on their menu items. The gas shortage has also put nearly 30 percent of the city’s street vendors at risk of losing their livelihoods. Furthermore, in several parts of South Delhi, large crowds of women were seen queuing up outside gas agencies in a desperate bid to procure gas cylinders.

**Gas Shortage in Rajasthan**

Kota, a city in Rajasthan renowned as an educational hub, has also felt the heat of the gas crisis. Coaching centers, hostels, and messes in the region are facing mounting difficulties due to the shortage. Operators have expressed grave concern that if the situation persists, as many as 4,000 hostels and 500 messes could be forced to shut down.

**Impact of Gas Supply Issues on Hospitals**

The LPG shortage is having a severe impact not only on hotels and the broader hospitality sector but also on hospital services. The gas shortage has created a situation where canteens in several hospitals across Kolkata are on the verge of closure. Consequently, administrators are expressing deep concern that this could lead to severe hardships for patients and their attendants.

** Impact of Gas Shortage Felt in Goa, Kerala, and Himachal Pradesh **

The gas shortage has dealt a severe blow to Goa’s tourism sector. Several restaurant owners have lamented that they are unable to serve menu items to foreign guests as they did in the past. The Kerala Travel Mart Society (KTM) stated in a press release that similar conditions have arisen in Kerala due to the gas shortage. Meanwhile, a similar situation has emerged in Himachal Pradesh as well.

** Black Market Racket Rife in Several States **

While the gas crisis continues unabated, certain middlemen are exploiting the situation to rake in profits by selling gas at exorbitant rates. In Bihar, as well as in several parts of Telangana, domestic gas cylinders are being sold for ₹1,800 and commercial cylinders for ₹4,000 on the black market. Consequently, left with no other option—and unable to endure standing in massive queues—common people find themselves in the dire predicament of having to purchase cylinders on the black market, despite the financial strain it imposes. Authorities in various states have arrested several individuals for selling gas at inflated prices on the black market.

** Gas ​​Sales to Foreign Countries Continue Amidst Domestic Crisis **

Six gas dealers from the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra have approached the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, raising concerns over the continued sale of domestic LPG to foreign countries at higher prices, even as the nation grapples with a severe gas crisis. Responding to this, the Court termed it a very serious matter and issued notices to the Centre and CPIL, directing them to provide information regarding gas reserves and supply.

— M Venkata T Reddy,