‘Livelihood of 1L at stake if gas shortage not resolved’

Kanpur: Gas shortage is worsening, hitting factory operations hard due to commercial cylinder and pipeline gas shortages. This disruption is part of a broader impact felt across Indian cities, triggered by the Israel-US-Iran conflict.Kanpur Industrial Development Co-operative Estate Limited Chairman Vijay Kapoor said that industries could suffer losses worth billions of rupees and the livelihoods of nearly 1 lakh people could be at stake if supply was not restored soon."The gas shortage has had a major impact on factories. Commercial cylinders are used in all our factories. Around 150 major factories rely on pipeline gas supply. Currently, gas supply to those factories has been stopped, pushing them to the brink of closure. If the situation continues, industries will suffer losses worth billions of rupees. Production is already being affected. If gas supply does not normalize within 1 month, several factories could shut down completely," he said.He said: "Nearly 1 lakh people, including factory workers, are on the brink of losing their jobs due to the gas shortage. Industries are being forced to explore alternatives like electric furnaces, which are now double the price. Manufacturers are taking advantage, selling them for up to Rs 40,000, up from Rs 20,000. The situation is dire; the govt must step in and ensure commercial gas and pipeline supply to revive industries."