City hotels turn to firewood

Madurai/Trichy: With the shortage in supply of LPG cylinders getting worse, many hotels in Madurai and Trichy are opting for firewood to keep their businesses running. Meanwhile, LPG agencies have recorded panic booking due to the emerging situation. Hotels have also started to limit their menus in view of the shortage, with some even going for centralised kitchens and bulk cooking and storing in casseroles. The demand for firewood has caused a price increase not just due to shortage, but suspected hoarding too. Cost of firewood in Trichy increased by 100%. From Rs3,000 per tonne, sellers have increased the price to Rs6,000 per tonne. Availability of firewood has also reduced with eateries being told to wait. S Shenher Lal, member of Madurai City Firewood Merchants Association, told TOI that retail price of firewood has increased by Rs2. "Usually, we sell firewood for Rs10 a kilo. But now, the price has gone up to Rs12," he said. "Before the shortage, if we were selling 2.5 tonnes a day, almost 7 tonnes of firewood is being sold a day now," he added.In Trichy, restaurants have put in place a contingency plan. Instead of cooking food and supplying it hot, eateries are cooking food in bulk and storing in casseroles. "Earlier, we were cooking idlis and dosas on demand, serving hot on tables. Now, we will cook in bulk and store. Customers may not be served hot," K Rathnam, who manages Ramakrishna Coffee House, said. Instead of crispy dosas, eateries prepare uthappam which can be stocked and served.K L Kumar, vice-president of Tamil Nadu Hotel Association, said, that as an austerity measure, they have made certain food items in a centralised kitchen. "To conserve the available LPG, we are preparing chappatis and parottas in a centralised kitchen," said Kumar. "In Hotel Temple City, we decided to cut Chettinad items and started preparing idly in boilers that use firewood as fuel," said Kumar. Secretary of Madurai Coffee Tea Merchants Association, M K Mohammed Muhaiyuthdeen, said tea shops on the outskirts of the city are unaffected due to the firewood stoves they use. Guru Ranganathan, president, Trichy District Hotel Owners' Association, said hotels are getting only four commercial LPG cylinders in place of 20. "Firewood demand has surged. Organizing weddings is going to be tough, there are not many alternatives for bulk cooking without LPG. Families are told by hall managements to source LPG cylinders on their own," Arockiya Paulraj, wedding planner said.Meanwhile, panic booking is continuing in Trichy with some LPG agencies reporting 300+ bookings for domestic cylinders a day in place of 200 bookings. "Booking a new refill LPG cylinder has become an impossible task; agencies are helpless. The govt should instruct companies to book cylinders and supply them according to availability," C Balasubramanian, a resident of Karumandapam in Trichy said.