Kochi: Amid growing concerns over the shortage of commercial LPG supply, hotels and eateries across Kerala will shut down on March 23 in protest, the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) announced on Tuesday.

In a statement, the association demanded that hotels be declared an essential service and be ensured an adequate LPG supply. It said its state executive committee had met and decided to continue protests until the demand is met.

KHRA alleged that oil companies were not distributing cylinders to hotels as they were not included in the priority category for LPG supply.

It also claimed that private companies were exploiting the situation by steeply hiking LPG prices. As a result, many hotels are shutting down as they are unable to function, the statement said.

The association also criticised the state and central governments for failing to address the issue, which directly affects lakhs of people.

“Despite the issue affecting lakhs of people, the state and central governments are indifferent to the plight of hotels,” it said.

On March 19, the association will stage a protest march to LPG bottling plants of oil companies, demanding inclusion of hotels in the priority category and uninterrupted LPG supply, KHRA president G. Jayapal said.

According to KHRA, 40 per cent of restaurants in the state would be forced to shut down if the LPG crisis remains unaddressed. Jayapal said around 20 per cent of eateries had already closed as of March 12.

The LPG shortage has also affected caterers in Kerala, just as the wedding season begins, industry representatives said.

V Sunukumar, district president of the All Kerala Caterers Association in Thiruvananthapuram, said the sector is facing difficulties as bookings have already been made for the wedding season beginning with the Malayalam month of Medam on March 15.

“Apart from that, marriage functions in the Muslim community will begin after Ramzan next week. The Lent season of Christians will end early next month, after which more weddings will take place across Kerala,” he said.

He added that apart from biryani preparation, most food prepared by caterers depends on LPG.

“At least the government can allow us to use domestic cylinders as a temporary measure. We are not even getting a single commercial LPG cylinder nowadays,” he said.

Hostels with mess facilities have also been affected by the LPG shortage.