- Gas Cylinders Supply Suddenly Stopped
- IIT Hostels Cooking With Firewood
- Energy Crisis Disrupts Student Kitchens
Article Today, Hyderabad:
Prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology have begun using wood-fired stoves in hostel kitchens after cooking gas supplies stalled. Several campuses, including the IIT in Hyderabad, are facing disruptions in cylinder deliveries. Hostel staff are now preparing meals over traditional firewood stoves to ensure students continue to receive food.
Hostel Kitchens Under Pressure
The shortage has forced kitchen workers to adopt older cooking methods rarely seen in modern institutional kitchens. Thousands of students depend on these hostels for daily meals. Without a steady gas supply, administrators say firewood has become a temporary alternative to maintain food services.
War Disrupts Energy Routes
The disruption follows escalating tensions in the Gulf region after the conflict involving Iran intensified in late February. Shipping movements through the Strait of Hormuz have slowed significantly due to security risks. As a result, several gas shipments destined for Asian markets have been delayed or halted.
India’s Import Dependence
India relies heavily on imported liquefied petroleum gas for domestic cooking needs. Energy analysts estimate that a large share of the country’s LPG demand is met through overseas supplies. When maritime routes face disruptions, the domestic supply chain quickly comes under pressure.
Supply Chains Strained
Gas distribution companies have reported delays in receiving shipments from major exporting regions in the Persian Gulf. Insurance concerns and rising freight costs have further complicated tanker movements. Consequently, several distributors across Indian cities have reduced deliveries to institutional buyers.
Temporary Return to Old Methods
However, hostel kitchens cannot suspend operations for long. Firewood stoves have therefore been installed in some campuses as an emergency solution. Kitchen staff say the method requires more labour and produces smoke, but it allows them to continue preparing meals for large numbers of students.
Concerns Over Energy Security
Meanwhile, the situation has revived discussions on India’s energy security and its dependence on global fuel markets. Experts say disruptions in international supply chains can quickly affect domestic consumption sectors, including education institutions and household kitchens.
Students Adjust to Situation
For students living in hostels, the change has been visible in everyday life. Cooking takes longer and kitchen environments are smokier. Nevertheless, campus administrations say the arrangement is temporary and will continue only until regular gas supplies resume.
Bolloju Ravi, Senior Journalist
