Hyderabad Hotels Turn to Firewood as LPG Crisis Forces Menu Cuts

This comes amid rising concerns over global supply constraints of LPG due to ongoing tensions in West Asia.

In Hyderabad, the commercial gas cylinder shortage has led migrants to repair pump stoves to cook food, resulting in a surge in sales at pump stove repair centres.

Sanjay, a migrant labourer from Odisha, said they are repairing pump stoves only because of the gas shortage.

"We work in hotels and are repairing pump stoves only because of the gas shortage. We're using diesel to run these stoves since kerosene isn't available," Sanjay told ANI.

Sofiyan, a gas stove mechanic, said their store, Rama Store in Chikkadpally, is seeing a surge in customers seeking stove repairs and gas.

"Our store, Rama Store in Chikkadpalli, is seeing a surge in customers seeking stove repairs and gas. Outsiders are the worst hit as they can't use wood stoves due to landlord restrictions. Pump stoves are in demand, but spare parts are scarce. Poor people can't afford electric stoves, so they're opting for pump stoves and using diesel as kerosene isn't available," Sofiyan told ANI.

A Gangagni Rao, Chief Scientist at the Department of Energy and Environment, CSIR-IICT Hyderabad, emphasised the need to look at alternatives for the longer term amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

"We are in a grip crisis, like LPG shortage and restaurants being closed, and the government is giving a lot of priority in supplying the LPG to domestic consumers. And there is this crisis because of the crisis in West Asia. So basically, what we have to look at is alternatives for the longer term. So that is the reason why this biogas plays a very important role in the context. For example, we have a good amount of waste available in India," Gangagni told ANI.

Lakshman Rao, owner of SSV Food Hub in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam, said due to the shortage of gas, they are now cooking on firewood stoves to manage operations.

"Due to the shortage of gas, we are now cooking on firewood stoves to manage our operations. This is helping us reduce the burden of gas usage to some extent. Because of the gas shortage, we have stopped our catering business for the time being. Even in the hotel, we have reduced the daily menu and are preparing only a few items. At present, most of the cooking is being done on firewood stoves to continue running the hotel," Rao told ANI.

There has been a shortage of commercial LPG gas cylinders in the wake of the ongoing conflict in West Asia, after which the Centre invoked the Essential Commodities Act, prioritising domestic consumption.

Earlier, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas assured that India has adequate availability of petrol and diesel across the country, while the LPG situation continues to remain a "matter of concern" for the government.

- ANI