No LPG gas in India: Auto parts workers head home
India's auto parts industry is facing a serious LPG shortage, and it is prompting workers to head back home.
With some factory canteens closed (no gas means reduced or suspended meals at those canteens), parts of the $80 billion sector are feeling the heat.
The industry group ACMA says things could get even tougher if the crisis drags on.
It's not just about missing lunch breaks
When there is no LPG, it is not just about missing lunch breaks.
These factories rely on gas-fired heating and metal-processing in foundry and forging units that produce automotive components, so even small hiccups can slow down entire assembly lines.
In some locations, production at micro and small manufacturing units has already been suspended due to fuel shortages.
The root problem
The root problem: most of India's LPG comes through West Asia, but ongoing conflict there has significantly slowed imports.
The government is scrambling (invoking emergency laws, telling refineries to boost local supply, and bringing in extra shipments from the U.S.) to keep things running before supplies run out.