Chennai: The members of the Tamil Nadu IT Hostel and PG Owners’ Welfare Association raised concerns about whether the shortage of commercial gas cylinders in the city was natural or artificial.
“Due to the inability to meet demand and financial difficulties, an owner committed suicide. We mandate the immediate intervention of CM Stalin to resolve the issue,” the association said during a press meet held in Chennai on Tuesday.
They stated that the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas announced an allocation of 70% of commercial cylinders to the states starting from March 27. However, they are facing a significant shortage of commercial LPG cylinders, which would directly affect 20,000 hostels and over 2 lakh staff working in them.
The association has urged the State government to provide a 2% subsidy on electricity charges and to ensure a steady supply of cylinders. A Seetharaman, president of the association, recalled the Ministry’s announcement of a 20% subsidy when the West Asia conflict began.
Though the supply has increased to 70%, we’re seeking alternatives to cooking gas. This raises speculation over the sale of commercial LPG gas on the black market. The price of commercial gas cylinders was increased from Rs 2,000 to Rs 8,500 in the black market. Union and state government officials must investigate this and find a way for us to receive our gas supply,A Seetharaman, president of the association
Concurring with him was R Venkataiya Subbaiah, secretary of the association, who lamented: “Due to the shortage, we’re unable to provide proper food to 20 lakh students, and working professionals residing in these hostels. We’re struggling, and cooking with firewood. The small hostel owners, whose monthly turnover is around Rs 50-60,000, are forced to spend Rs 20,000 just on commercial gas cylinders.”
The association also urged the TN Power Distribution Corporation Limited to follow the verdict of Justice Krishnan Ramasamy, Madras HC, that hostels providing accommodation to working professionals must be treated as residential units for taxation and utility charges.