HYDERABAD: The ongoing LPG shortage and black-market sales are beginning to affect charitable food services across Hyderabad, forcing many samaritans to switch to firewood and absorb rising costs to continue feeding the poor.
Volunteers running community kitchens said the scarcity of cylinders has made it difficult to cook large quantities of food, while commercial LPG cylinders that earlier cost around Rs 1,200 are now being sold in the black market for as much as Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000.
Despite the rising costs, many organisations said they have not reduced the number of meals served.
“We are not getting LPG cylinders now. In the black market they are selling it at very high prices, but we cannot stop feeding people. It is costing us much more now,” said Asif Hussain Sohail, who runs a charitable food distribution service in the city.
His organisation serves over 1,000 people daily, providing rice along with curry or vegetables, and occasionally non-vegetarian dishes. Earlier, the kitchen used a mix of domestic and commercial cylinders to prepare food, requiring nearly four cylinders a day to run operations smoothly.
“Earlier we used to get commercial cylinders for about Rs 1,200. Now they are being sold for nearly Rs 9,000 in the black market. We cannot afford that every day, so we have switched to firewood,” Sohail said.
The food service, which has been running continuously for 16 years, has never faced such a situation before, he added.
“Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we did not face this kind of crisis. Gas cylinders and firewood were available then. Now everything has become difficult,” he said.
Apart from LPG, volunteers say the prices of groceries and cooking essentials have also increased, adding to the financial burden.
Another volunteer, Venkat Murali, who distributes food to around 400 people daily, said his team has also decided to move to firewood cooking to avoid depending on scarce LPG supplies.
“We are still serving food, but because of the non-availability of cylinders we are arranging a chulha for cooking firewood. Once it is ready, we can continue the service without worrying about LPG,” Murali said.
His group cooks about 30 kg of rice every day for distribution at various locations. Earlier, they used one LPG cylinder for two days, but the uncertainty in supply has forced them to look for alternatives.
Several samaritans in Hyderabad said that although expenses have increased sharply, they have chosen not to cut down the quantity of food served.
“Many people who come to us have no other option for a meal. We cannot tell them that because prices have increased we will reduce food,” Sohail said.
Volunteers added that many smaller food distribution initiatives have already simplified their menus to a single item such as upma due to rising fuel costs. However, most charity kitchens are determined to continue serving meals despite the growing financial strain.