Chennai, March 7 The Tamil Nadu Hotels Association, a body representing hotels and restaurants in the state, has appealed to the Centre to withdraw its order instructing oil marketing companies to suspend the sale of commercial LPG cylinders.
While acknowledging that the government has issued such an order in response to the conflict in the Middle Eastern countries, the association's president, M Venkadasubbu, stressed that such a decision would severely impact hotels and eateries, as well as the large number of people employed in the sector.
"Hotels and restaurants primarily rely on the use of commercial gas cylinders. Therefore, if the supply of these cylinders is not regularized, hotels and eateries will be forced to suspend their operations," he said in a statement here on Saturday.
He cautioned that this would largely affect lakhs of workers employed in the sector.
Venkadasubbu urged the government to withdraw such a directive, and oil companies to take measures to ensure the uninterrupted supply of commercial LPG cylinders.
On March 6, the government invoked emergency powers to direct oil refineries to increase LPG production, as it seeks to increase the availability of domestic cooking gas to mitigate potential disruptions caused by the escalating Middle East conflict.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, the prices of domestic LPG and commercial cylinders were increased by a steep Rs 60 and Rs 114.5, respectively, amid rising energy costs linked to the conflict.