TIRUCHY: An LPG shortage is beginning to affect the preparation of prasadam and the 24x7 annadanam (free meal) schemes at the Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam and the Mariamman temple in Samayapuram. According to temple sources, both shrines, which come under the HR&CE department, have LPG stock sufficient only for Monday and Tuesday and are planning to switch to firewood. However, firewood prices have also risen sharply amid the crisis. Both temples use steam boilers for cooking rice.
At Srirangam, the temple prepares 480 kg of rice and 320 kg of vegetables daily for annadanam, serving around 4,000 devotees. It consumes 105 commercial cylinders a month. Additionally, 80 kg of venpongal and sweet pongal is prepared as prasadam for about 7,000 devotees daily, requiring 20 cylinders. “We have just two days of LPG stock. About 10 days ago, we stopped pongal and switched to kesari to reduce usage,” an official said. Firewood prices have risen from Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per tonne. “We will continue serving meals even if we must rely on firewood,” he added.
At Samayapuram, 390 kg of rice and 360 kg of vegetables are used daily to feed 3,000 devotees. The temple uses 180 cylinders monthly for annadanam and 60 more for prasadam served to 13,000 devotees. “We too have LPG only for two days,” an official said, adding that firewood and electric stoves are being considered as alternatives.
Collector V Saravanan said steps are being taken to resolve the shortage.