Punjab is facing a deepening LPG supply crisis as demand for cooking gas has surged while supplies continue to decline, leaving consumers waiting for weeks for refills and forcing businesses to seek alternative fuel sources.Industry data indicates that the state currently has around 96 lakh LPG connections, but average monthly supply over the past two months has been only about 27 lakh refills.Dealers say consumer demand has increased by 25-30 per cent due to seasonal requirements and panic booking, while overall supply has dropped by nearly 25 per cent. As a result, thousands of domestic bookings remain pending across the state.Related news: Ghost LPG connections under lens after 200 cylinders seized in PatialaThe situation has been particularly severe for commercial establishments. Reports indicate that no commercial LPG refills have been dispatched over the past 12 days, severely affecting hotels, restaurants and small industries.In cities such as Ludhiana and Amritsar, several eateries have shifted to wood-fired stoves, induction cookers or diesel burners to continue operations. With nearly 980 gas agencies handling thousands of pending bookings and no commercial stock available, distributors say they are facing growing anger from consumers, with some reporting confrontations at agency offices.The Federation of LPG Distributors of Punjab has described the situation as a “manufactured crisis”. Federation president Gurpal Singh Mann alleged that bottling plants were operating below capacity and suggested the shortage could be linked to efforts to push consumers toward piped natural gas.Officials of Indian Oil Corporation declined to comment, though a senior functionary acknowledged that panic booking had aggravated the crisis. Dealers warn widening supply gap could trigger severe LPG shortages.