Chefs in a prominent hotel cook food items using firewood, as the hotel did not get supply of commercial liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders on Friday in Udupi.
| Photo Credit: UMESH S. SHETTIGAR
Udupi Deputy Commissioner T. K. Swaroopa on Friday, urged hoteliers in the district to explore use of alternative fuel, including firewood and electric stoves to tide over the crisis of short-supply of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders for the time-being.Chairing a meeting to discuss issues related to commercial LPG cylinders at Rajatadri, the district office complex in Manipal, the DC said the geopolitical disturbances in West Asia has caused disruption in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders, following which hoteliers were put to great hardship.Stating that domestic LPG cylinder supply was intact, Ms. Swaroopa claimed that the West Asia unrest has disrupted import of commercial LPG. It was a temporary problem and to tide up the crisis, hoteliers may go for firewood or electric stoves, she said.The DC said some hotels in the district have already started using firewood and other fuel to prepare food items. It would be better if all the hotel industries in the district emphasise on this and continue providing employment to the workers.Workers’ interest tooGoing for alternative fuel was also in the interest of protecting the interest of about 25,000-30,000 people employed in the hotel industry. Majority of them were from outside the state and if they return to their home states, hotels may face difficulty in getting manpower when the situation becomes normal, Ms. Swaroopa said.She would ask about 80 sawmills working in the district to provide adequate firewood to hotels. MESCOM too should supply required power if hoteliers wish to switch over to electrical cooking.Representatives of hotels said that they could manage the situation even if they get 25% of the commercial LPG cylinder supply which they used to get earlier. Published - March 13, 2026 09:12 pm IST
