Famed for its rich, ghee-laden halwa, Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli is now facing an unexpected crisis. A shortage of commercial LPG cylinders has forced one of the town’s best-known halwa makers to shut shop, amid supply disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.
Santhi sweets, one of the renowned brands has stopped its production as they ran out of cylinders.
“We have been very careful with gas for the last ten days now. We have now run out of gas altogether” said Siva Subramanian, the proprietor.
They had first stopped making milk sweets like Jangri, but now the entire production has come to a grinding halt.
“There is no business,” said a worker at their outlet.
Subramniam says his work requires at least 200 LPG cylinders every month. Though the centre had released 50% of commercial LPG, in tier two cities and towns, the situation hasn’t improved on the ground. Subramanian says he has not received any assurance on when he will receive cylinders.
Read | LPG Crisis Bites Chennai, Restaurants Reel Despite Supply Boost
Another popular Halwa brand, Iruttu Kadai Halwa, has increased the price by 10%. The management, however, refrained from speaking.
A customer said, “The government should intervene and deliver cylinders for food related establishments on a priority basis.”
Amid a worsening LPG shortage, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has stepped up his attack on the Centre, accusing it of using the delimitation issue to divert attention. He said references to a possible Covid-like situation by the Prime Minister have triggered panic, with restaurants shutting and jobs at risk.
The BJP has rejected the charge, while its ally All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) questioned the state, prompting Stalin to argue that cylinder supply and foreign policy are controlled by the Centre.
Earlier, MK Stalin had listed how his government reached out offering subsidies, loans and exemption from pollution control norms for commercial establishments and industries to electrify their energy requirements.
(With inputs by Aradhana S)
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