Gangtok, April 18 -- The Food & Civil Supplies Department of Sikkim has issued a strong advisory cautioning hotels, restaurants, and fast-food outlets against imposing additional "LPG charges" or similar surcharges on customers, calling the practice unlawful and misleading.

The move comes after a series of complaints and media reports highlighted that several eateries were adding extra costs-labelled as "gas surcharge", "fuel recovery charge", or "gas crisis fee"-over and above menu prices and applicable taxes.

Reinforcing guidelines laid down by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), the department clarified that operational expenses such as LPG, electricity, and fuel are inherent business costs. These must be included in th...