Shillong, Mar 25 (PTI) A shortage of commercial LPG has begun to affect the tourism sector in Meghalaya, with several hotels and restaurants curtailing menus and services, officials said on Wednesday.
They said available supplies of commercial LPG are being prioritised for essential services such as hospitals and hostels, leading to disruptions in the hospitality industry.
Hotel and resort owners, particularly in tourist hotspots like the state capital Shillong and Sohra (erstwhile Cherrapunji), said they are being forced to scale down operations and switch to alternative cooking methods.
“To all our guests and visitors, we are switching to firewood and charcoal-based slow cooking from tomorrow. Kindly bear with us for longer wait times and limited local food only,” an owner of a popular resort in Sohra posted on social media.
Industry stakeholders said the shortage has affected regular kitchen operations, with many establishments unable to offer full menus due to lack of fuel.
“There has been no visible supply for the past two weeks, and most hotels and restaurants are now running operations on induction cooktops. Tandoori and chulha-based cooking are being used as alternatives,” said P S Sahdev, president of the Hotel Federation of Shillong.
He added that many establishments are unable to fully shift to induction cooktops due to erratic power supply or inadequate sanctioned load.
“Most establishments have reduced menu items, and we may have to impose a gas surcharge if the shortage continues, as costs have gone up drastically,” Sahdev said.
He also claimed that while there were directions to ensure at least 20 per cent supply to the sector, the same was not being implemented effectively on the ground.
They warned that if the situation persists, it could affect tourist experience during the ongoing travel season, especially in popular destinations across East Khasi Hills district.
Officials, however, maintained that essential services remain the priority and efforts are being made to streamline supply.
Earlier, the federation had written to the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner seeking support to sustain tourism operations amid the ongoing shortage.
Last year, this North Eastern Hill state recorded over 1.6 million tourist footfalls, according to an official of the Tourism department. PTI JOP NN
