Iran War Effect In Uttarakhand: LPG Crisis Compels Shutdown Of Mass Kitchens In Haridwar, Rishikesh

In the COVID-19 lockdown, ashrams and mutts in Haridwar and Rishikesh kept their free kitchens open to serve meals to hundreds of saints, pilgrims, visitors, daily-wage earners, and stranded workers, uninterruptedly. The arrangement continued even after the pandemic.

Now, while the war in West Asia is far from Uttarakhand, its effects on  LPG supply have cast shadows on the charitable kitchens on the banks of the holy Ganga River.

The comparison may sound a little strange, yet the realities on the ground unfold how the global fuel disruption has compelled more than 20 ashrams and mutts to shut down community kitchens and suspend daily services to feed sadhus and pilgrims. The development has created a helpless situation for those who used to turn up for free meals at these ashrams, run by some of the prominent religious trusts.

Confirming this, a functionary of the Geeta Kutir Tapovan said there was daily consumption of eight to 10 LPG cylinders for cooking mass community meals, but now, after the ashram ran out of the cooking gas, a decision was taken to suspend the cooking until alternative arrangements are made.

“We really regret this, as it has happened for the first time due to the non-availability of the LPG supply," he said.

Senior journalist Shailendra Gondiyal said Geeta Kutir, Haridwar, was established in 1979 and since then has been rendering its services, including free meals to hundreds of sadhus, students, and pilgrims. Almost 1000 to 1200 people were eating here every day. The non-stop kitchen consumes 10 LPG cylinders, but now, according to its manager Shiv Dass Dubey, it has not received any cylinders for nearly a week.

Similarly, other ashrams have also been finding it difficult to provide daily community meals, leaving many of their regular visitors struggling to find affordable food.

The Uttarakhand government claims that, according to policy guidelines, cylinders are supplied only to essential services such as hospitals, hostels, and emergency facilities. The domestic LPG cylinders are available for households, but the booking rules have been changed. Earlier, people could book the second domestic cylinder after 21 days, but now they have to wait 25 days.

“There is, however, no policy to make cylinders available to ashrams and community kitchens," says Gondiyal.

Many Uttarakhand towns, like Nainital, Dehradun, Haldwani, Roorkie, Rudrapur, Rishikesh, Bageshwar, Mussoorie, Uttarkashi, and the industrial hubs like Pantnagar, Kashipur, Sitarganj, etc., are facing a shortage of LPG. Long queues of people waiting for their turns to get LPG refills are a common sight. The protests have also erupted at several places.

Major impact of the commercial LPG supplies is seen on the hotel industry, restaurants, small food outlets, and wayside vendors.

“At the onset of the tourist season and the upcoming Char Dham Yatra, which attracts thousands of pilgrims, the business community is worried about the crisis hitting the livelihoods of a cross-section of the people and small businesses," admits Madhu Sudan, a social activist.

Digvijay Singh Bisht, President of the Hotel Association in Nainital, admitted that several roadside eateries and dhabas have already been shut down. The hotels are somehow managing for now, but if the problem continues, they may not survive during the peak tourist season. The government has temporarily stopped the booking of commercial gas cylinders.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has dismissed reports about the shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in Uttarakhand, terming them as mere rumours.

Dhami told reporters at Dehradun, "We are taking strict action against rumours. The government teams are closely monitoring the situation. I have instructed the Chief Secretary to review the situation and see that people do not face inconvenience or black marketing."

The ground reports, however, defy the government claims.

Ramesh Uniyal, a tea seller in Roorkee, has been forced to shut down his stall due to the non-availability of LPG. “I had only one cylinder, which ran out on Saturday. I tried to arrange another one, but there was no booking or refilling available. I stood in the queue the entire day and returned disappointed,” he said. His attempt to buy an induction stove as an alternative also proved unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal said the government has initiated preparations to supply firewood to commercial establishments as an alternative fuel source.

The Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation has been directed to ensure the availability of firewood so that businesses can use it as an alternative fuel if the gas shortage worsens, he said at Dehradun.