As the ongoing LPG and oil crisis continues to affect daily life in India, Chandrasekar Cuttackam called on companies to step up and act responsibly. A Wells Fargo vice president posted on LinkedIn.
Chandrasekar says one simple and immediate step companies can take is to allow employees to work from home whenever possible. Thousands of employees commute long distances every day, burning large amounts of fuel, he says.
If that commute is reduced, he says, the fuel saved can be redirected to more critical services such as health care, emergency response, logistics and public transportation.
Read also | Reliability to maximize LPG production as the government struggles to ensure supply
Chandrasekar argues that enabling “work from home” is not just a business decision these days. It is an act of corporate social responsibility (CSR) that can make a real difference in times of crisis.
“In today’s context, allowing WFH is not just an operational decision, it is a responsible choice,” he wrote.
Several LinkedIn users responded to his post.
“It would only have an impact if employees also stick to WFH and don’t take advantage of the opportunity. We can often see people doing other activities during office hours and still commuting,” wrote one.
“Compared to other countries, India is less affected, just created a hype about the shortage, the situation is not that bad yet. This will end in the next 10 to 20 days,” another user wrote.
Read also | LPG Shortage News LIVE: LPG price of car gas in Bengaluru rises to ₹80
Another user wrote: “Good idea, but the government will lose revenue.”
Chandrasekar agreed, but called it a “domino effect”. “All we can wish for is for the conflict to end and for peace to prevail,” he replied.
“Better practiced than preached…” came from another user.
Shortage of LPG in India
India is facing a severe LPG supply crisis triggered by the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. India imports 62-67% of its LPG.
Almost 85-90% of this passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now effectively blocked. Deliveries were severely affected. Major Gulf exporters such as Iraq and Kuwait also cut output.
The crisis hits the commercial sector the most. Around 20% of restaurants have already closed in Mumbai and as many as 50-60% could close soon.
Restaurants in Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi are cutting menus and opening hours. Commercial prices of 19 kg bottles jumped up to ₹144 on March 7 and passed ₹1,880 in Delhi.
Read also | LPG shortage: PM Modi asks ministers to ensure that Indian consumers do not suffer
Household inventories are protected, but prices have risen ₹60 on March 7. Prices in Delhi have reached ₹913.
The government has also extended the gap between replenishment reservations to prevent hoarding. Hospitals and schools remain priority sectors. However, industrial users in Gujarat have seen a 50% reduction in gas allocation.
The Indian government has swung into action to solve the LPG crisis. It used the Essential Commodities Act of 1955 to control distribution and prevent hoarding.
On the supply side, domestic refineries have been ordered to produce as much LPG as possible, resulting in a 10% jump in daily production.
India is also looking beyond the Persian Gulf and reaching out to countries like Algeria, Australia, Canada, Norway and the US for alternative supplies.
Officials say India currently has enough fuel reserves for 25-30 days. A three-member committee of Oil Marketing Company executives has also been set up to deal with complaints about supplies from the commercial sector.
