Gujarat cuts industrial gas use by 50 per cent; Hotel association warns of impact on small eateries

“We have imposed a 50 per cent cut in gas supply to industries. For fertiliser and milk processing units, there is a cut of about 40 per cent in gas supply. The decision is aimed at ensuring that domestic users get cooking gas without any disruption. The state government is committed to maintaining a regular and steady supply for households,” he added.

The minister denied that there was any directive to hotels and restaurants regarding restrictions on commercial gas cylinders, saying there is no cut as far as commercial cylinders are concerned. He said the government’s immediate focus is to ensure that domestic kitchens continue to function normally, for which the state and the Centre are working closely.

However, Narendra Somani, president of the Gujarat Hotels and Restaurant Association, told The Indian Express that the regular supply of commercial gas cylinders across the state has been disrupted.

He added that 70–80 per cent of the 10,000 hotels and restaurants in Gujarat run on PNG supplied by Adani Gas, while the remaining 20 per cent — largely small eateries — are the most affected.

“Around 2,000 small vendors running on commercial cylinders could shut down in the next few days as the impact is realised gradually. We are in the process of writing to the Centre as well as the state government authorities to highlight their plight and will request them to ensure an independent gas supply,” Somani said.

The Gujarat Urban Development Mission (GUDM), under the state government’s Urban Development and Urban Housing Department, will launch the ‘Lake and Air Watch’ initiative for real-time monitoring and improvement of lake health and air quality across cities, state government authorities said on Tuesday.

“Rapid urbanisation has led to declining water quality, reduced groundwater recharge and worsening air quality in densely populated areas. To address these issues, the ‘Lake and Air Watch’ initiative will integrate monitoring systems across departments for coordinated and timely action,” the authorities stated.

Eventually, the Gujarat Urban Development Mission will develop an integrated, digital, real-time platform to track lake health and air quality across cities and generate alerts for prompt remedial measures. With an estimated provision of Rs 10 crore, the initiative aims to strengthen environmental protection and promote sustainable urban development.

“Urban lakes are facing challenges such as pollution, siltation and declining water quality. Under the ‘Lake and Air Watch’ initiative, satellite technology will be used to analyse lake areas, waste presence and algae growth. Based on this analysis, timely alerts will be issued to enable prompt conservation action,” GUDM authorities added.

Air quality monitoring stations will be installed in 17 municipal corporations and 152 municipal areas, providing real-time Air Quality Index (AQI) information. Automatic alerts will be generated if AQI levels rise, enabling the concerned departments to take timely action.

After evaluating lake health and air quality in cities, the data will be consolidated at the state level through a centralised dashboard. The platform will provide maps, trends, alerts and operational status, aiming to ensure better interdepartmental coordination and timely action.