Amid Global Fuel Crisis, Two West Bengal Families Turn Cow Dung Into Cooking Gas
Two families have revived traditional cow dung biogas plants at home, producing their own cooking fuel and showing a sustainable alternative during the LPG crisis.
Published : March 11, 2026 at 1:28 PM IST
By Soumen Banerjee
Durgapur (West Bengal): At a time when the conflict in the Middle East is disrupting global energy supplies and raising concerns over India’s fuel reserves, two rural families in West Bengal have revived an old, sustainable solution, producing cooking gas from cow dung.
Residents Kshetranath Garai and Amjaan Garai of Gopalpur Gram Panchayat in Kankasa block of West Burdwan district, have taken to a traditional alternative - biogas generated from cow dung. Since the Garai family owns several cows, there is a steady supply of dung which ensures a good amount of biogas generation.
The system is simple and effective. Cow dung collected throughout the day is stored in a chamber where it decomposes. The resulting methane gas accumulates in a lower storage chamber and is then supplied directly to the household kitchen through pipes connected to the stove.
For the Garai families, the system ensures uninterrupted cooking fuel even as LPG prices soar. “We get cow dung gas easily. We pour cow dung into the chamber and stir it. The gas gets collected in the lower chamber and flows through pipes to the stove. It costs us nothing,” said Kshetranath Garai.
However, he added that the ageing structure requires repairs. “These chambers need renovation. We cannot manage it ourselves. If the government helps, we will be happy.”
Amjaan Garai, who owns four cows, also relies on the same system. “I make fuel gas from cow dung. It is connected to the oven in the kitchen through a pipe. Cooking and heating water can be done easily. But the gas storage structure is very old and needs renovation. For this, we need some help from the government,” he said.
Currently, only two households in Gopalpur Paschimpara operate such biogas plants. But both the stakeholders believe the model could benefit the entire village if supported by government schemes. “With government assistance, a larger plant could be built to supply cow dung gas to the whole village,” Kshetranath Garai suggested.
The local administration has taken note of the initiative. Suman Biswas, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Durgapur, said the administration learned about the project through a media report. “We came to know about it from ETV Bharat. The administration will visit the house in Gopalpur, Kankasa. If the project can be expanded on a larger scale, we will certainly try,” Biswas said.
As tensions between Iran and the combined forces of United States and Israel disrupt global oil routes, the closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz has sent shockwaves across international energy markets. The disruption has also affected crude supplies that India imports from Russia, triggering concerns about fuel availability. Amid the crisis, the price of LPG cylinders reportedly jumped by Rs 60 in a single day with shortages felt across parts of the country.
Also Read:
