Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 13 (ANI): Congress leader K Muraleedharan expressed grave concerns over the shortage of LPG in Kerala and urged the Centre to intervene.

Speaking to reporters here, the Congress leader said most hotels are closed, and those open do not have proper food. He emphasised the urgent requirement of uninterrupted LPG supply to prevent inconvenience for the masses.

'Most of the hotels are closed. Even in the few that are open, we are not getting proper food. This situation is affecting families as well. Therefore, we request the Central Government to intervene in this matter and take strong action to ensure the supply of LPG gas,' Muraleedharan said.

Meanwhile, the LPG crisis has forced hotels in Kannur to shut, causing difficulty for both the customers and hotel staff.

One such hotel that shut down during this crisis is the Gazal Hotel, whose employees expressed concerns, citing a halt in work, uncertainty over the period of crisis and financial setbacks.

'It's been three days since the hotel shut down due to the issue of LPG gas shortage. Work is halted, and people are also facing issues with food. It will be difficult for us if the crisis continues,' Pallavi, a staff member of the hotel, told ANI.

'We just got to know that the actual reason for the hotel to be shut for 3 days is the shortage of gas. We travel from quite far for work, and now even our families are concerned about our work being halted. We are not able to confess the truth. There is no confirmation on how long the hotel will be closed, so we cannot make a decision ourselves. The hotel authorities have assured us that they will help us out. It would be better if the issue could be resolved soon so that we can get back to work,' Ram, another staff member, states.

Customers also expressed concerns over the unavailability of food in hotels and requested respite amid the crisis.

A customer, Arya, told ANI that because of the hotels being shut, they are unable to dine out, which is causing them difficulty.

However, the government has assured that the domestic supply of LPG, petrol, diesel, kerosene, and natural gas remains stable, while citizens are urged to avoid panic booking and conserve fuel, said Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, on Thursday.

'There is a manifold increase in the bookings because of the panic. We urge the citizens to avoid panic booking and all efforts have to be made to conserve the fuel wherever possible during this period of global uncertainty,' Sharma said while briefing on energy security during a joint press conference on Inter-Ministerial developments in West Asia in New Delhi.

She said that India imports nearly 60% of its LPG, with most cargo previously coming through the Strait of Hormuz, now closed for commercial shipping. (ANI)