The Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) has warned of strong protests, including a march to Parliament, if the Central government fails to resolve the LPG crisis by June 1.
The decision was taken at the State committee meeting of the association, which also resolved to approach the Union government once again with its demands. KHRA State president G. Jayapal and general secretary N. Abdul Razak alleged that the Centre was ignoring the severe crisis faced by hotels and restaurants.
According to the association, the sharp rise in LPG and other essential commodity prices has pushed the hotel sector into a survival crisis. KHRA warned that if the present situation continues, a majority of hotels in the State may be forced to shut down.
The association said it was unfair that the hotel industry was being made to bear the burden of the domestic sector, which accounts for nearly 85 per cent of cooking gas consumption. Even small tea shops using a single cylinder a day are now facing an additional expense of around ₹1,000 daily.
At the same time, hotel owners said they were unable to increase food prices beyond a certain limit, further squeezing margins.
