Calcutta, May 28: Oil companies have decided to crack down on illegal use of domestic LPG connections in restaurants and hotels.

Several parts of the city are facing a cooking-gas crisis as a large number of cylinders meant for household kitchens are finding their way to hotels, restaurants and other commercial centres.

The decision of the oil companies to track down the illegal users of domestic LPG comes in the wake of a recent directive from the Union petroleum ministry. The Centre has asked chief secretary Asok Gupta to take steps to curb the menace.

an LPG cylinder for domestic use costs Rs 300, while one for commercial use is priced at Rs 700.

“Domestic LPG is meant exclusively for household kitchens for which the government provides a huge subsidy. Use of domestic LPG for any other purposes is totally illegal,’’ said A.C. De, the deputy general manager (LPG) of the Indian Oil Corporation.

“We have information that a section of LPG distributors and dealers sell domestic LPG cylinders to different commercial establishments, depriving domestic consumers. On the other hand, there are a number of eatery owners and small traders, who are domestic consumers, and use the LPG cylinders for commercial purposes instead of using it in their kitchens,’’ De said.

As the domestic-use cylinders are going to the commercial users, homes in Lake Town, Kankurgachi, Bagmari and Phulbagan in the north and Jadavpur, Garia, Garden Reach and Taratala in the south are facing cooking-gas crisis.

“There is no dearth of domestic LPG and the crisis in some areas is totally artificial. We are supplying LPG to all the distributors and dealers on the basis of daily consumption. So, a dealer is bound to supply domestic cylinders on the same day or at best the next day,’’ an IOC official said.

There are 27,00,000 domestic LPG consumers in the city to which 2,000 new connections are added daily. According to IOC’s estimates, one to two lakh domestic LPG cylinders are used in different eateries.

The officials said the crackdown plan was prepared after discussions with the police. The plan includes extensive and continuing raids on restaurants, roadside eateries, dhabas, caterers, jewellery units, iron cutters and motor garages. The officials of oil companies, police and the legal metrology department will conduct surprise checks at dealers’ godowns also.

There will be newspaper advertisements, posters and other modes of campaign to make consumers aware of the illegal use of LPG and the penalty for violations.

“Dealers or distributors selling domestic LPG to commercial establishments will be blacklisted in addition to a hefty penalty. Anyone found using a (domestic) cylinder for any purpose other than cooking in a domestic kitchen will also be booked and charged up to Rs 5,000,’’ De said.