Regarding need to address the grave situation arising out of shortage of LPG cylinders in Tamil Nadu-Laid

Regarding need to address the grave situation arising out of shortage of LPG cylinders in Tamil Nadu-Laid SHRI D. M. KATHIR ANAND (VELLORE): Tamil Nadu is facing an acute commercial LPG shortage due to supply chain disruptions from the Middle East conflict, threatening to shut down over one lakh restaurants and eateries in Tamil Nadu. In districts such as Chennai and Vellore, tourism-dependent restaurants and hotels already started shutting down. While domestic supply is prioritised, commercial users already face severe shortages, leading to closure of restaurants, menu restrictions, higher prices, and reliance on electric or firewood alternatives. The supply disruption is linked to tensions in the Gulf, impacting imports. Commercial LPG (19 kg cylinders) supply is heavily restricted, with distributors began to halt the supply, while domestic (14.2kg) supplies have also faced bottlenecks. Hotels, catering services meanwhile, face an agonising dilemma how to break the news to customers with confirmed banquet bookings for weddings and other events already fixed. The waiting period for getting domestic LPG cylinder is increasing. People have to wait for 30-40 days to get the domestic gas cylinder after booking. The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has urged the Union Government to immediately intervene and provide solution to this crisis. Around 50 lakh workers are directly dependent on restaurants, while another 50-lakh people depend on the sector indirectly. If gas supplies do not resume immediately, the entire industry will be paralyzed and pushed into a deep crisis. Therefore, I urge the Union Government to take urgent, war-footing measures to ensure uninterrupted supply of commercial/domestic LPG cylinders to restaurants and hotels as well as houses in Tamil Nadu.