LPG curbs strike factory kitchens in state’s major industrial hubs

Indore: Industrial canteens across Madhya Pradesh's key manufacturing belts are cutting down on meals and menu items as restrictions on commercial LPG cylinders begin to hit daily operations in factory kitchens. The impact is being reported from major industrial hubs, including Pithampur and Sanwer Road near Indore, Mandideep near Bhopal, and the Dewas industrial area.The curbs follow supply disruptions linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. To manage limited availability of LPG and natural gas, the govt has prioritised domestic household supplies over commercial use. As part of these measures, piped natural gas (PNG) supplies to industrial and commercial consumers have also been capped at 80 per cent of their average consumption over the past 6 months.Industrial units said catering contractors who run factory canteens are struggling to procure commercial LPG cylinders, forcing them to scale down cooking operations and simplify menus.Jitesh Agrawal, an industrialist from Pithampur, said several industrial canteens were forced to shut or drastically scale down operations due to the shortage."Many mess facilities have closed. We are trying to arrange something using induction cooktops by providing them to the caterer at our own cost so that at least tea and some snacks can be managed. But preparing full meals is not possible in the current situation," Agrawal said. Pithampur and surrounding industrial areas house thousands of manufacturing units employing a large workforce, and factory canteens typically serve meals to employees, staff, and management throughout the day.Some companies are attempting temporary workarounds by using electric appliances such as induction cooktops, but industrialists said these arrangements are inadequate for preparing food for large numbers of people. Tarun Vyas, an industrialist from the Sanwer Road industrial area, said units with piped gas connections are currently managing operations but remain concerned about future supply."In our canteen, we got a PNG pipeline gas connection, so at present there is no issue. But the gas company is saying in the near future there may be some issue," Vyas said. Another industrialist from Mandideep near Bhopal, requesting anonymity, said the caterer operating his company's canteen already reduced the number of dishes served due to LPG restrictions."Earlier, the afternoon meal had 2 vegetables and other items. Now the menu has been cut to just 1 sabzi and limited dishes. Evening snacks are down to just tea," he said. Industry representatives said catering contractors who operate factory canteens typically rely on commercial LPG cylinders for bulk cooking, making them particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.Amid reports of disruptions, the Madhya Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation (MPIDC) began collecting feedback from industrial units across industrial areas regarding the availability of commercial LPG cylinders.In a communication circulated to industries, MPIDC asked companies to report if their units were facing difficulties due to a shortage or non-availability of commercial LPG cylinders so that the issue could be escalated to the concerned authorities.