Kerala hoteliers protest cooking gas price hike; shut shops today
Updated: Jan 03, 2014 03:37:34pm
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 (KNN) In protest against the steep hike in prices of cooking gas, hotels and restaurants in Kerala today went on a day long strike causing inconvenience to tourists and the floating population in different cities of the state.
The price of an LPG cylinder for commercial usage has gone up by Rs 386 with effect from January 1. Post hike, the new price stands at Rs 2,207 per cylinder. Along with the rise in the basic price, a 14.5 per cent VAT is also adding to the cost of hotel and restaurant industry.
The general secretary of Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association (KHRA) Jose Mohan told KNN that, “Kerala has nearly 30,000 small and medium range hotels. In total, around 1.25 lakh restaurants across the state will remain closed in protest against the steep hike in the price of cooking gas for commercial purpose.”
“In a medium range hotel, three cylinders are used per day. Now their expenditure has gone comes to around Rs 1, 200.
“If the government does not withdraw the price hike immediately, we will again go on strike,” Mohan said adding that if the prices remain high, the hotels and restaurants will have to increase their rates too.
The hoteliers have urged the government to lift the 14.5 per cent VAT on gas cylinder for commercial purpose.
Mohan also said that the industry is already suffering due to high food inflation.
The association said that the strike is only for today due to the Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala that began on Monday. The festival will last till January 14.
Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage centre located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District in Kerala. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world with an estimated 100 million devotees visiting every year. (KNN/SD)
The price of an LPG cylinder for commercial usage has gone up by Rs 386 with effect from January 1. Post hike, the new price stands at Rs 2,207 per cylinder. Along with the rise in the basic price, a 14.5 per cent VAT is also adding to the cost of hotel and restaurant industry.
The general secretary of Kerala Hotels and Restaurants Association (KHRA) Jose Mohan told KNN that, “Kerala has nearly 30,000 small and medium range hotels. In total, around 1.25 lakh restaurants across the state will remain closed in protest against the steep hike in the price of cooking gas for commercial purpose.”
“In a medium range hotel, three cylinders are used per day. Now their expenditure has gone comes to around Rs 1, 200.
“If the government does not withdraw the price hike immediately, we will again go on strike,” Mohan said adding that if the prices remain high, the hotels and restaurants will have to increase their rates too.
The hoteliers have urged the government to lift the 14.5 per cent VAT on gas cylinder for commercial purpose.
Mohan also said that the industry is already suffering due to high food inflation.
The association said that the strike is only for today due to the Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala that began on Monday. The festival will last till January 14.
Sabarimala is a Hindu pilgrimage centre located in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District in Kerala. It is one of the largest annual pilgrimages in the world with an estimated 100 million devotees visiting every year. (KNN/SD)
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