Medium and small units bear brunt of gas crisis

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

The large and well-established industries were more aggressive in adopting alternative initiatives, but small and medium-scale units lagged in adaptation.

While larger industries shifted to alternatives, medium and small-scale industries fell behind and suffered due to the lack of LPG. Nearly 60% of small and medium industries in various MIDC areas have come to a standstill after the Central government halted commercial gas supply from March 5 amid the Iran–Israel–US conflict. Industrial zones including Waluj, Chikalthana, Shendra, Paithan, Railway Station, and Auric host over 4,000 units, of which 30–40% depend on LPG for production. While some units receive gas via pipeline, most rely on commercial cylinders. With supply stopped for over two weeks, existing gas stocks have been depleted. Larger firms temporarily supported smaller vendor units, but sectors like pharmaceutical manufacturing have been the worst affected.

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Big players adapt

Major industrial players like Endurance had already shifted to PNG gas to operate boilers and furnaces. Several other large industries transitioned to alternative fuels such as LNG and furnace oil, enabling them to sustain production and avoid disruptions amid the ongoing gas supply crisis.

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No layoffs despite shutdown

Despite halted production, companies have retained workers due to a shortage of skilled labour. Employees are being called in for maintenance and machine servicing work until the gas supply resumes,Massia president Arjun Gaikwad added.