Lucknow: A shortage of commercial LPG cylinders has pushed nearly 800 to 1,000 factories in the state to the verge of closure, raising concerns about the livelihood of more than 50,000 workers employed in these units.
Critical Sectors Hit by the Gas Supply Disruption
Industries dependent on heating processes such as carton box manufacturing, packaging, pharmaceuticals, snack production and fabrication have been hit the hardest as gas supplies have slowed drastically. Industrial units said many factories may be forced to shut operations within a day or two if supplies are not restored.
Lucknow has around 45 to 50 factories linked to the carton box and packaging industry. These units rely on gas to heat rollers used in manufacturing corrugated sheets. The rollers are heated through burners installed inside them, which help in shaping cardboard into packaging material.
Food Processing and Pharmaceutical Sectors at Risk
Food processing units producing snacks, biscuits and chips also depend heavily on commercial LPG for frying and cooking. Similarly, pharmaceutical companies that prepare syrups require large vessels to heat medicinal solutions using gas.
The shortage has also affected the fabrication industry where building gas prepared by mixing LPG and oxygen is used for cutting and welding. More than 500 small and large units in the district are engaged in fabrication work and many are now facing the risk of halting production.
Entrepreneurs said the situation remains grim despite the government stating on Tuesday that production units and industrial consumers would be supplied 80 percent of their gas requirement.
While small industries and restaurants have been hit hard, businesses connected to piped natural gas have largely remained unaffected. Green Gas Limited AGM Praveen Singh said the supply of PNG is being closely monitored and current demand is being met.
Lucknow's Gas Consumption and the Privileged Few
Lucknow consumes around 3.5 lakh standard cubic metres per day of gas. The supply is divided into commercial and industrial categories. About a dozen large hotels and restaurants in the city, including Chhappan Bhog, Mahesh Namkeen and Lucknow airport, are connected to PNG. In the industrial sector, companies such as Amul, Karam, Ashok Leyland and Surya Food receive PNG supply.
Indian Industries Association Lucknow chapter president Vikas Khanna said even bookings made two days earlier are not being delivered. According to him, gas agencies claim that supply has been restricted from higher authorities.
He said the government’s announcement about supplying 80 percent gas to production units has not provided any relief so far. Khanna added that shortages combined with supply limits could encourage black marketing and force entrepreneurs to depend on agencies for cylinders.
A Factory Owner's Personal Countdown to Closure
Industrialist Ankit Jain, who runs a carton box manufacturing unit, said his factory consumes two to three cylinders daily. “We are not getting commercial or domestic cylinders. Only one or two days of stock is left. If fresh cylinders do not arrive, the factory will have to shut,” he said.
Indian Industries Association vice president Abhinav Kapoor said vendors supplying components to Tata Motors are also facing difficulties. Units manufacturing auto parts in the Chinhat industrial area require gas for powder coating processes.
He said nearly 80 percent of industries in the area produce auto parts for Tata Motors but are unable to get gas cylinders. If the situation continues, units may be forced either to shut down temporarily or shift to diesel-based machines.
Entrepreneur Adnan Siddiqui said fabrication work has already slowed because metal cutting operations depend on gas. “We managed with the small stock we had, but new orders are now getting stuck due to lack of gas,” he said.
