Bengaluru, 13 March

In view of the shortage of LPG amid the conflict in West Asia, the Bangalore Apartments' Federation (BAF) on Friday urged apartments to adopt responsible consumption practices and avoid panic booking of cylinders.

In an advisory, the Federation said that while the government and LPG distributors are trying to stabilise supplies, collective action by urban residential communities can help prevent unnecessary pressure on the distribution system.

The BAF strongly advised residents not to book multiple cylinders unnecessarily, stating that panic booking creates artificial shortages and directly affects households that depend exclusively on LPG.

Noting that most apartment complexes have a stable electricity supply, the Federation encouraged residents to temporarily shift part of their cooking to electric appliances.

It suggested induction cooktops for everyday cooking, electric pressure cookers for preparing rice, lentils and curries, and air fryers or electric grills for frying and roasting.

"Using electricity for even 30-40 per cent of cooking activities can significantly reduce LPG consumption," the advisory said.

The Federation also urged apartment management committees and residents' associations to create awareness within communities by circulating LPG conservation tips, encouraging partial use of electric appliances, advising residents against hoarding cylinders and ensuring that multiple cylinders are not stored unsafely inside flats.

It said awareness messages shared through apartment WhatsApp groups could help responsible behaviour among residents.

The advisory highlighted efficient LPG usage practices to extend cylinder life, including using pressure cookers wherever possible, keeping vessels covered while cooking, using the correct burner size for utensils, cleaning burners regularly for an efficient flame and avoiding keeping the flame on.

The BAF said that adopting such practices could reduce LPGconsumption by 15-20 per cent.

The Federation also called on residents and apartment associations to check if their household and association staff are facing difficulties in accessing cooking gas.

It also urged the public to rely only on official updates from LPG distributors and government agencies for supply-related information.