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India Gas Crisis: Poor Forced Back to Wood
24 Mar
Summary
- Cooking gas prices more than doubled, forcing families to use wood and coal.
- Black market prices for LPG cylinders have reached 5,000 rupees ($53).
- Return to traditional fuels raises health risks and air pollution concerns.
Black market prices for cooking gas in India's capital have more than doubled, compelling poorer households to return to using wood and coal. This shift raises health concerns and worsens air quality in the heavily polluted megacity of New Delhi. Families are struggling as the cost of LPG cylinders has escalated dramatically on the informal market. Sheela Kumari, a domestic helper, reported prices surging to 5,000 rupees ($53) from 1,800-2,000 rupees, making it unaffordable on her 6,000 rupee monthly salary. Consequently, she and her family of six are resorting to firewood, costing 30 rupees ($0.30) for a bundle lasting several days, despite the associated health repercussions like coughing. Munni Bai, a neighbor with asthma, is also being forced back to alternative fuels after previously switching to electric and biogas options due to respiratory issues. Activists highlight that hoarding, rather than a severe shortage, is driving these price hikes, disproportionately affecting migrant workers who lack documentation for subsidized gas and rely on informal markets. New Delhi, with its 30 million residents, already faces severe air pollution from various sources, and this return to biomass burning adds another layer to the environmental challenge.
