Lack of LPG leads to shut down of restaurants.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has taken a toll on various industries, even reaching the daily lives of people in Odisha. The effects of this conflict have now trickled down to the common man, causing a shortage in the supply of cooking gas. This scarcity has been particularly felt in Gajapati district, where small businesses that rely on cooking gas have been hit hard.

As a result, many breakfast stalls, roadside eateries, and small hotels have been forced to shut down for the past two days. Currently, commercial LPG cylinders are not available in the district. Paralakhemundi, which has two gas depots run by Bharat Gas and Hindustan Petroleum, has also been affected by this shortage.

Both depots have stopped supplying commercial LPG cylinders, leaving only domestic cylinders available. However, these domestic cylinders are only being distributed once every 25 days and are primarily meant for household use. This has left small food vendors and fast-food stalls struggling to keep their businesses running without the essential cooking gas.

In the past, many vendors used to rely on kerosene, which was easily accessible at affordable rates. However, this is no longer the case. Some of them also used firewood chullah, sawdust chullah, or traditional stoves, but they were forced to discontinue this practice due to periodic raids by pollution control authorities.

With no gas supply for the past two days, several small traders in the district have had to temporarily close their shops while searching for alternative fuel sources. Local vendors, including Seemadri, Sai Ranjal Patra, and Nihar Sahu, have expressed their concerns, stating that if the supply of commercial LPG cylinders is not restored soon, they may have to either shut down their businesses or go back to using traditional wood-based chullah. On the other hand, the shortage of LPG in the town has led many residents to turn to induction cooktops.

Electronic stores in Paralakhemundi have seen a surge in customers looking to purchase these stoves for household use. The residents have also urged the government to find alternative arrangements to support the livelihoods of small traders who have been affected by the fuel shortage. In light of these recent events, it is clear that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has had a significant impact not only on global affairs but also on the daily lives of people in Odisha.

As this issue continues to unfold, it is crucial for the authorities to find a swift and effective solution to ease the burden on the common man and support the livelihoods of those who have been affected by this shortage of cooking gas.