Ensure supply of cooking gas to priority sectors, Ernakulam Collector tells LPG distributors

The Ernakulam district administration has instructed distributors of LPG cylinders to ensure supply of cooking gas to priority sectors such as hospitals, educational institutions, and welfare institutions under the Social Justice department.

Collector G. Priyanka issued the instructions after assessing the LPG availability situation at a meeting of stakeholders including representatives of oil companies, distributors and consumers here on Tuesday.

She said a portal named Kerala LPG Supply Tracker had been set up to ease the distribution of commercial cylinders. Oil companies, distributors, and consumers can access the portal. Cylinders will be allotted through the portal by a committee headed by the Collector on a priority basis.

Representatives of hostel owners, meanwhile, met the Collector on Tuesday and raised their concerns, including the possible closure of the establishments if the shortage of commercial cylinders persisted. Hostel owners have been demanding that they be given due consideration, given the nature of their services.

“We have already cut down on the menu and started exploring alternative measures. We presented our case before the District Collector and provided all details. Around 900 licenced hostels in the district have been affected by the shortage. We have demanded the Collector to consider allotting us 1,000 cylinders so that we can run for a month, though with restrictions in menu,” Honey Poulose, treasurer, Hostel Owners Federation, said.

He added that though hostel owners were willing to use firewood, that was also in short supply.

Leaders of a joint forum of three Kochi-based organisations of hostel owners had planned a protest march in the city on Tuesday highlighting the crisis they face. The demonstration was cancelled as the Collector convened the meeting.

The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association has, meanwhile, announced a protest march to the regional office of the Indian Oil Corporation at Panampilly Nagar in the city on Thursday. The march has been planned as a prelude to a State-wide protest on March 23 seeking recognition of restaurants as an essential service .