Bengaluru eateries cut menu, business hours; govt warns black-marketers

Bengaluru: Eateries began adopting different strategies to cope with the non-availability of commercial LPG like pruning the menu, avoiding deep-fry items, and opening only in evening hours or shortening their business hours. Some of them which have run out of LPG cylinder stock, have closed their stores with a notice to customers.

College hostels have also cut down on the use of cooking gas, avoiding deep fry items to stretch the existing stock for more days as supply situation remained precarious.

Bangalore Hotels Association president PC Rao said they held a meeting with chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh, without much hope.


Meanwhile, the state government has cautioned LPG distributors and refill dealers against engaging in black marketing or blackmailing consumers.

Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister K.H. Muniyappa warned LPG dealers that strict action would be taken if any distributor was found hoarding cylinders, creating artificial shortages, or overcharging consumers. The minister said the government has received complaints that some LPG dealers were allegedly attempting to exploit the situation by delaying deliveries and demanding additional charges.