Kudumbashree eateries too feel impact of LPG crisis

Beena B. is exhausted after churning out 250 meals or more on a hearth fired by wood.

Beena who runs Kudumbashree’s Sreebhadra Janakeeya Hotel along with two other women in Vilappil panchayat says the situation is dire since the LPG cyclinder crisis began in the wake of the conflict raging in West Asia.

“As we do not have a single cylinder left, we are up at 3 a.m. and begin cooking on big open hearths so that food is ready for delivery by 8.30 a.m. But the heat from the fire and the big vessels used are a bit too much for us three women. We closed the hotel on Friday and will again do it on Sunday.”

Shutting shop for the day is possible only if they have no prior bulk orders for meetings or hospital feeding, Ms. Beena points out.

Heat from the open hearths is terrible, concurs Rajam S. who runs the Oottupura Janakeeya Hotel at Neyyattinkara. Though they used one wood-fired hearth to cook rice earlier, they have set up more hearths to cook other dishes for meals, but the heat gets a bit too much. However, they haven’t had to close down any day, says Rajan who runs the hotel along with three other women.

“We just got a LPG cylinder from the agency. With the hearths and this cylinder, we will be able to manage without any trouble for the next few days.”

Ms. Beena though has not had any such luck. “We could have managed somehow if we had got even two cylinders. We have submitted an application to the panchayat for getting a priority cyclinder, but have not heard anything further from them as yet.”

For Janakeeya hotels, giving food for ₹30 or ₹35 may become unviable if the cooking is done using firewood but many people from weaker sections of society depend on it, officials point out.

It is much the same situation in other districts. In Ernakulam, bigger ventures such as Samridhi, which is run by Kudumbashree women, have shifted to firewood for cooking. Other Kudumbashree eateries have restricted their menus or the number of days they function in a week. A couple have shut down temporarily too owing to non-availability of commercial cylinders.

Kudumbashree catering units are refusing big orders and cutting down the number of orders too. Even Kudumbashree training programmes have taken a hit because units are unable to supply food for the participants, say officials.

Some small eateries cook steamed snacks at home and sell it at the kiosks or buy the snacks from catering units just to keep their doors open.

Kudumbashree officials say a number of Kudumbashree cafes and premium cafe too are feeling the pinch of LPG shortage. The premium cafes are located in busy locations and so cannot shift to firewood.

Officials say they have asked Kudumbashree district missions to get in touch with Collectors and local self-governments to explore the idea of starting community kitchens as was done during the COVID-19 pandemic so that people do not go hungry.