LPG crunch hits Mangaluru, canteens, hotels shut
Mangaluru: After major cities including Bengaluru and Chennai, the LPG shortage crisis has also struck Mangaluru now.
Reports are emerging about the closure of several hotels, canteens and street food outlets in the city.
The shortage is triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has been worsening day by day.
According to reports, several hotels, canteens and street food preparation units have been forced to shut down operations in some areas due to the lack of commercial LPG cylinders.
In Dakshina Kannada district, hotels, restaurants and street food stalls have reportedly remained closed for the past two to three days in several locations.
On Saturday as well, hotel owners in many parts of the district, including Mangaluru city, faced difficulties in obtaining commercial gas cylinders.
Some establishments had stocked cylinders in advance and managed to continue operations for a few days.
However some owners said they may have no option but to shut down if the shortage continues.
The impact of the situation has also been felt in the fisheries sector.
Fishermen said that there is strong demand from abroad for fish varieties such as shrimp, anjal, manji and bondas, which are usually exported. However, restrictions on the movement of container ships have affected the fishing industry as well.
Leaders of the hotel owners’ associations in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts have urged the authorities to distribute LPG cylinders equally to their sector as well.
They warned that if the supply is not ensured, more hotels may have to shut down.
At present, district administrations have prioritised LPG supply for essential sectors including domestic households, educational institutions, hospitals, hostels, dormitories and religious institutions.
Meanwhile, a few hotels that still use fire wood for cooking have continued their operations.
Meanwhile, timber traders have also said that even firewood is now facing a shortage, as supply is unable to meet the rising demand.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Online fraud: Hotel chef from Udupi cheated of over Rs 1 lakh by WhatsApp contact
Udupi: Udupi City Police have registered a case of online fraud after a 62-year-old hotel chef was allegedly cheated of Rs 1.13 lakh by a woman who befriended him on WhatsApp, claiming to be based in London.
The victim, identified as Pandu Kariappa Poojary, a resident of Kuthpadi in Udupi, was working at a hotel in Mangaluru.
He reportedly came into contact with a woman identifying herself as Emilda William on WhatsApp. During their interactions, she told Poojary that she planned to start a cosmetics and hotel business in India and would meet him during a visit to Mangaluru.
On April 7, Emilda sent Poojary a flight ticket from London to Delhi via WhatsApp. The following day, Poojary received a phone call from a woman who informed him that Emilda had arrived at Delhi airport carrying a demand draft worth Rs 5 crore along with other items. The caller allegedly asked him to pay Rs 70,000.
Subsequently, Poojary also received a call from Emilda, who was reportedly crying and spoke about the situation. Believing the claims, he transferred a total of Rs 1,13,300 in phases using a scanner. He later realised that he had been cheated.
