With the LPG shortage triggered by the West Asia crisis persisting in Kerala, the Commissioner, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, on Tuesday issued an advisory for the general public and non-domestic LPG consumers detailing the dos and don’ts and priority sectors.
In the case of non-domestic consumers, hospitals, schools including anganwadis, crematoriums, industrial canteens, school and college hostels, community kitchens/Subhiksha hotels, old-age homes and orphanages will be treated as priority sectors and ensured 100% availability.
Hotels, restaurants, canteens, food processing units, kitchens run by the government and local government institutions, and migrant labourers will be treated as ‘semi-priority’ sectors and issued 40% of their actual requirement.
As part of surveillance measures, inspections will be conducted in gas agencies, hotels, commercial establishments. A State Crisis Management Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary has been formed. The Commissioner, Civil Supplies will act as the State Nodal Officer.
The public has been advised to avoid hoarding LPG cylinders and panic booking and to inform the authorities about misuse, black marketeering or overpricing of cylinders. In the case of the commercial consumers, regulating the distribution is unavoidable in the current scenario, the Commissioner, K. Hima, said.
