Amid LPG Shortage, Maharashtra Family Leads The Way With Biogas As Sustainable Alternative
A family in Maharashtra's Nanded has been successfully using biogas from cow dung, offering an eco-friendly, cost-effective solution for rural cooking needs.
Published : March 20, 2026 at 8:34 PM IST
Nanded: Amid the growing LPG shortages and rising fuel costs, the Puyad family of Maharashtra’s Nanded has shown a powerful solution and sustainable alternative: biogas.
Prahlad Puyad of Shindhi village said his family, comprising 35 members, has been using eco-friendly alternatives for several years.
“We collect cow dung and produce biogas at home to cook daily meals for the family of 35. These traditional resources can offer modern-day resilience as well at a time when LPG gas is in short supply due to the West Asia crisis,” he said.
The Puyads established this biogas plant 15 years ago, producing the gas from animal dung. Additionally, the dung is also utilised to produce organic manure.
India has always sourced LPG from the Gulf countries, and after the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran war since February 28, the country faces a huge shortage. Already, commercial use of LPG and pipe gas has been stopped. Restaurants have felt the pinch, as many have shut down while some have trimmed their menus drastically. The most affected by this shortage are the poor people who are finding it extremely difficult to get a refill.
There have been reports of black marketing of LPG cylinders in Nanded city and many other places across the state.
Dr Jagdish Bardewad, District Supply Officer, said the supply department had formed 16 teams and was making concerted efforts to curb the black marketing of gas cylinders. “Investigations were conducted at over 14 establishments, and action has been initiated against one gas agency following the detection of irregularities,” he said.
Amid the crisis, the Puyad family has appealed to residents of rural areas in India to switch to biogas to overcome gas shortages and also help cut their expenses. They emphasised that it is extremely safe and convenient to use.
“I came to this village over 15 years ago. At that time, I felt we had a cattle shed, and seeing the easy access to cow dung, I immediately thought of setting up a biogas plant,” Prahlad said. “We are three brothers, and we have a huge family. So I went to town and made a few enquiries and sought details about setting up this plant,” he added.
The family then went on to demarcate three plots of 8 feet by 8 feet and put 20-30 kilos of cow dung every three days.
Pranali, the youngest member of the family, who is a wrestler, said she was inspired by this domestic biogas project and started raising awareness. She shared her experience with people as she travelled to different parts.
“I have been travelling to a few wrestling tournaments in North India, and we go out to eat. I saw that due to the gas shortage, restaurants are being forced to use wood. This has led to a spike in food prices,” Pranali said.
“If they use biogas, I am sure they can overcome these problems. Since the time of my birth, I have not seen a cylinder, as we have this facility in our house,” she added.
Prahlad urged other farmers to opt for this form of fuel. “We are farmers, and no farmer is complete without a bovine. They are the source of fuel for biogas, and it is an inexpensive alternative. A bovine has three benefits: they give us milk, manure, and dung, which is a good source of fuel,” he added.
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