LPG Scarcity Hits Students Living In Patna Hostels And Lodges

Patna: Uncertainty looms large over almost 3,000 private hostels in Patna, following the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) crisis that has resulted from the ongoing hostilities in West Asia. Managers of some hostels have now been forced to fall back on traditional fuels like coal and wood to run their kitchens. With other hostels facing temporary closure, the education prospects of more than 2,50,000 students are threatened, as many of them may be forced to return home.

A similar scenario prevails across other districts of Bihar. On visiting a girls hostel in Patna, ETV Bharat found the kitchen closed down. Arranging four meals a day for 250 students meant consumption of two commercial cylinders a day. With the LPG scarcity, things have become difficult to manage.

Instead, the authorities had built five coal stoves (chulha) and were in the process of making more. Manager Vandana said the gas shortage has exacerbated, and every day is being spent arranging for new cylinders.

"We got so worried that we have now built coal stoves so that we can fulfill the commitment made to the parents of the children. We prepare four meals and serve tea twice, consuming anywhere between one-and-a-half and two commercial cylinders a day. We can't keep the children hungry. If we have to cook food by burning paper, we will do that. Currently, we are cooking with coal and wood," she said.

The hostel cook said, "Food can be cooked quickly on gas. But on a chulha, there is a lot of smoke, and cooking takes a lot of time. Children need to have breakfast in time as they go to coaching classes. My work load has increased a lot."

Students said while they are getting food at the hostels, finding snacks like momos and chaat outside is difficult. "All eateries have put up signs saying there is no gas, and food isn't available. We used to hear from our grandmothers that food was cooked on coal and wood stoves. Now we are seeing it,” pointed out one of them.

Another student quipped, “The food cooked on coal and wood tastes good, but it takes more time. The cook's workload has increased."

Meanwhile, many students living in lodges can be seen wandering the streets with small empty cylinders looking for refills. There are also allegations of black marketing of cylinders.

"They are demanding exorbitant amounts to refill the cylinder. Earlier, they used to charge Rs 80-Rs 90 per kg, but now they are demanding up to Rs 400 per kg. Having food has become a problem. We are managing by eating sattu and dahi-chivda," said a student who has put up in a lodge.

Most of the students said if the LPG shortage persists, they will have to return home. With all their attention focused on food and fuel supplies, they are unable to study. Reports suggest that more than 2.5 lakh students may have to leave their studies and return home.

Property tax data available with Patna Municipal Corporation puts the number of private hostels in the city at 3,035, of which 1,959 are in Bankipur zone, 743 in Pataliputra zone, 172 in Kankarbagh zone, 12 in Azimabad zone and 149 in Nutan Rajdhani zone. The shortage of cylinders has adversely affected the kitchens of all these hostels.