KENDRAPARA: Amid the disruption of LPG supply due to escalating tensions in the Middle East, many hotels and individual households across Kendrapara district have shifted to traditional firewood for cooking as a stopgap solution.
As the shortage of LPG cylinders looms large, people have now started to store fuel wood in advance. Akhil Sahoo, a dhaba owner, said cooking gas is not readily available since the last two weeks. As a result, many hotel owners are now depending on firewood to meet their needs.
Minati Behera (43), a housewife of Marsaghai, echoed similar sentiments. She has been cooking food with firewood in an earthen hearth due to non- availability of cooking gas for the last one week.
To meet their daily cooking needs, many villagers are collecting firewood from the nearby forests. Besides, some have started firewood collection to take advantage of the situation.
Twenty-six-year-old Sita Mandal of Sanatubi village ventures into the nearby mangrove forest around Bhitarkanika National Park to collect firewood everyday. This has become her daily routine after cooking gas supply was disrupted in the area. “Many villagers are collecting firewood to meet their cooking needs the huge demand due to non-availability of cooking gas. There is a race to collect firewood among the villagers,” said Sita.
The sudden spike in demand has also sent price of firewood soaring. Sources said two months back, a quintal of firewood cost Rs 2,000. Now, the price has reached Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500.
Assistant conservator of forests (ACF) of Bhitarkanika National Park Manas Kumar Das said collection of firewood in forest areas without permission is illegal. “Forest personnel have been put on high alert to prevent chopping of trees for firewood due to cooking gas shortage,” he added.