THIRUVANTHAPURAM: The theft of a full LPG cylinder from a small hotel in Chalai in the early hours of Friday has drawn attention to the growing cooking gas crisis affecting small eateries across the city, as disruptions in global fuel supply triggered by the ongoing US–Israel–Iran conflict begin to impact the availability of commercial LPG.
A full cylinder was stolen from V S Hotel in Chalai at around 2 am on Friday, according to the hotel’s owner, Archana. CCTV footage shows a man entering the premises and leaving with the filled cylinder. The suspect allegedly removed the fuse from the hotel’s main switchboard to disable the CCTV cameras. However, the hotel’s inverter system kept the cameras functioning and captured the suspect entering the premises and walking away with the cylinder.
The hotel had three cylinders in the kitchen at the time, but the thief took only the filled one and left behind two half-used cylinders. Police have begun an investigation.
With commercial LPG supplies tightening in recent weeks, many small eateries in the city are struggling to secure regular cylinder refills.
Hotel associations say oil marketing companies have begun rationing commercial cylinders as the Centre prioritises domestic LPG supply to households. The situation has left small restaurants, tea stalls and roadside eateries scrambling for fuel.
The shortage is also severely affecting migrant labourers, many of whom rely on small LPG cylinders sold through petrol pumps for cooking in rented rooms and labour camps.
As supplies tighten, these smaller cylinders have also become difficult to obtain. Workers say they are now forced to queue at petrol pumps or share cylinders among several people.
“We usually refill the 5-kg cylinders whenever needed since we sometimes eat at small eateries nearby. But now petrol pumps do not have them in stock. So we have to depend on food from hotels. If hotels also cut down cooking, it becomes difficult for us,” said a migrant labourer from West Bengal working at a construction site in the city.
Meanwhile, City Police Commissioner K Karthick said that although no complaints of illegal resale of LPG cylinders in the informal market have been reported so far, police will closely monitor the situation as the shortage continues.
Several eateries have already begun restricting menu items that require long cooking times. Dishes such as biriyani and slow-cooked curries are being prepared in smaller quantities, while some hotels are focusing on items that require less fuel.
To cope with the shortage, a few establishments have started experimenting with alternative cooking methods, including firewood stoves and induction cookers.
Meanwhile, the state government has decided to constitute a state-level monitoring committee to track the daily consumption and distribution of LPG cylinders used for both domestic and commercial purposes.
District-level monitoring panels led by collectors will also be formed, and a specially designed dashboard will be used to monitor supply. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by the Chief Minister with representatives of oil marketing companies to review urgent measures to tackle the crisis.
Hospitals, old-age homes, orphanages, schools, community kitchens, and canteens in IT parks and factories will be prioritised for LPG supply.
The Civil Supplies Department will also step up kerosene distribution as an alternative fuel and intensify inspections to prevent the misuse of domestic cylinders for commercial purposes.
Additionally, the state government plans to seek the Centre’s approval to increase the current 20% cap on non-domestic LPG cylinders, citing the state’s large migrant workforce and high commercial demand.
