India news: Commercial LPG prices go up again

They are the unlikely legacy of a drug empire: A herd of hulking hippos roaming free in Colombia. The descendants of specimens imported from Africa in the 1980s were kept by Pablo Escobar on his sprawling estate.

Today they are no longer a curiosity, but an invasive threat. They have multiplied, reshaped ecosystems, and are sparking a thorny debate about whether culling them would be the best solution for all concerned.

Now, Indian billionaire heir and self-styled environmentalist Anant Ambani is offering a bold solution.

In this report, DW speaks with hippo expert Dr. Jan Pluhacek about the feasibility of Ambani's plan. 

The government of Madhya Pradesh has ordered a probe into a deadly cruise boat accident that occurred at the Bargi Dam in the Jabalpur district of the central Indian state.

A total of nine people died and 28 were rescued when a cruise boat capsized in the Narmada River reservoir on Thursday evening after being caught in a sudden storm.

On Friday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav told the media that the tourism department would investigate the accident to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Footage circulating on Indian media showed the boat trying to hold its balance against strong winds, before overturning. 

News agency PTI reported that rescue divers had found the body of a woman who was onboard the boat, still clutching her child.

"We initially encountered difficulty retrieving the body of a woman from the wreckage. We then discovered that she was holding her child tightly, and it was difficult to separate them. Our team was deeply moved by the scene," one of the divers told PTI.

India's weather agency on Friday forecasted above-normal heatwave days in several parts of the country in the coming weeks.

The regions that could see an intense heatwave include some parts of the foothills of the Himalayas in the north, states along the east coast and some western states, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its monthly outlook released on Friday.

The IMD predicted four to five additional heatwave days in some parts of eastern and western India. 

India normally witnesses four to seven heatwave days between the months of April and June.

"There will be an increased number of heatwave conditions along the east coast states and Gujarat by about four to five days in the month of May," IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told the media. 

According to scientific research, climate change is causing heatwaves in India to become longer, stronger and more recurrent.

Temperatures could soar three to five degrees Celsius above normal during peak spells in some of the areas, Mohapatra added.

Security remained tight on Friday at electronic voting machine (EVM) strong rooms in West Bengal's capital Kolkata, reports said, following a late-night showdown between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over accusations of possible ballot tampering, Indian media reported. 

The eastern Indian state wrapped up its last phase of key state polls on Wednesday. 

What is TMC's claim in West Bengal election?

On Thursday night, the TMC —  which has been in power in the state under chief minister Mamata Banerjee since 2011 —  accused the BJP of "election fraud," claiming a tampering of votes.

Banerjee visited a counting centre in her Bhabanipur constituency in the Kolkata district, claiming her party had received reports of what she called "manipulation" of polls in the state. 

"We found that in many places, manipulation is taking place," the TMC head said while talking to news agency ANI

The TMC, in a statement on X, accused the BJP of being in "active collusion" with the country's poll body, the Election Commission of India (ECI), and attempting to open ballot boxes without the presence of relevant party stakeholders. 

What has Election Commision said?

The Election Commission refuted the TMC's allegations. 

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal told ANI that the strong rooms, or centers where polled EVMs are kept, were "safe and secure."

"Counting will be 100% neat and clean just like the elections were," ANI quoted Agarwal as saying. 

How did the BJP react?

Meanwhile, at a sit-in protest of TMC candidates in Kolkata, BJP leader Tapas Roy accused Banerjee's party of "spreading rumors" as they "are preparing ground for their defeat," ANI reported.

An official counting of votes is set to take place on Monday.

India's public sector oil companies on Friday increased the price of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, for foreign airlines by 5% on Friday, in a second consecutive monthly spike as global energy prices remain high. 

In Delhi —  which has the country's busiest airport —  ATF prices have been increased by $76.55 or (a little over €65) per kilolitre, or 5.33%, to $1511.86 per kilolitre, reports said, citing refiner Indian oil. 

Fuel generally accounts for 30-40% of an airlines' operating expenses, according to reports.

This means international flight prices could increase once again, especially on long-haul routes, with carriers potentially passing on these costs to passengers. 

The Indian government on Friday sharply raised the price of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sold by state-owned companies by 993 Indian rupees (about €8.90, $10.50) in a fresh setback for restaurants, hotels and food shop owners.

Global energy prices have gone up considerably since the beginning of the war in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A lack of progress in talks between the US and Iran means a quick end to the blockades seems unlikely.

This is the third consecutive price hike for a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder in India since the war began on February 28.

In the capital, New Delhi, an LPG cylinder, commonly used by hotels and restaurants, will now cost 3,071.50 Indian rupees. 

It will add more costs for restaurants, hotels and other food outlets that are dependent on industrial LPG for day-to-day operations.

There are concerns that the hike could be reflected in food and dining costs, with the businesses passing on some of the burden of the increased prices to consumers. 

New LPG rules imposed

Meanwhile, the price of domestic LPG remains unchanged. However, starting today, a new framework of rules will come into force, overhauling how Indian households book and receive their cylinders.

The rules have been finalized by the country's three big state-owned oil companies — Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum —  in a bid to rein in hoarding, black marketing, and the illegal diversion of subsidized gas. 

Here's a breakdown of what the new rules entail:

• The government is identifying households that receive both LPG and piped natural gas, a practice that is now banned
• The minimum gap between LPG orders has been extended from 21 to 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas
• Cylinders booked earlier than that timeframe will be automatically blocked
• Consumers will now be sent a pin when making an order that they have to show at delivery

This is Dharvi Vaid Dhulia from DW's studio in New Delhi, bringing you the latest edition of our India blog. Here we unpack all the biggest events, developments and trends making headlines in India. 

The economic uncertainty from the Iran war continues to be felt over a thousand kilometers away in India. Food vendors and restaurant owners in the country have woken up to a significant hike in commercial liquefied petroleum (LPG) gas cylinder prices.

A new set of LPG rules governing the monitoring and distribution of cylinders for domestic use has also come into effect from today. 

Meanwhile, the result day for India's key state elections is only a weekend away. Political drama appears to be amping up in West Bengal, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to make inroads, challenging the incumbent Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Late last evening, the TMC and BJP were embroiled in a row with each other over allegations of possible electronic voting machine (EVM) tampering. The night culminated with Banerjee visiting a strong room for the machines in her constituency.

Stay tuned as we get you more.