Puducherry Hotels Face Closure Risk Amid LPG Cylinder Shortage
Hotels are resorting to firewood, electric cookers, and reduced hours, but firewood is costly and unsuitable for all cuisines. Roadside restaurants are closed, and menus are limited.
Puducherry, Mar 11 (PTI) Hotels in Puducherry are faced with the risk of closure following non-availability of commercial LPG cylinders as alternative measures may not help tide over the situation in this tourist hub, industry insiders said on Wednesday.
A spokesperson of Hotels Association here told PTI that a "helpless situation" has emerged now and hoteliers have started adopting several stringent measures.
He said that most of the hotels have either shifted to cooking food using fire wood or were minimizing the working hours to manage the situation, while also opting for electric cookers.
Incidentally, the price of firewood has shot up by three times, Rs 1000 per 'kundu' from the usual Rs 300. However, firewood can be used for cooking only south Indian food and not Chinese food, he said.
Hotel establishments are in "unenviable situation" and if the present crisis continues even for a day, they would be left with no choice than closing down, the spokesperson added.
A union territory located about 160 km from Chennai, Puducherry is a tourist destination flocked, mainly by tourists from Tamil Nadu, besides from other parts of the country.
Further, road-side restaurants remained closed in most parts of Puducherry while eateries have reduced the menu in some other parts causing disruption in meeting the requirements of the customers, said a section of owners of the eateries.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the Hotels Association had a meeting on Tuesday with the Chief Secretary, placing before him the difficulties of the hoteliers and sought the government's intervention for a way out. However, the government made it clear that as per the Centre's directive domestic LPG consumers should get priority as the households should not face any crisis, the association sources said.
Some of the hoteliers pointed out that they were resorting to using electric cooker and only limited food could be prepared. They said that they were keeping their fingers crossed without being able to have a permanent solution. Official sources told PTI that although there was no immediate need to invoke the provisions of Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), "we are closely watching the situation and no complaint was received so far on hoarding or profiteering". PTI CORR SA
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