Amid LPG shortage, Mumbai’s adivasi padas continue to rely on wood-fired kitchens

For the adivasi communities living in 254 padas (hamlets) across the city, LPG cylinders are often treated as a supplementary fuel rather than the primary cooking source. The bulk of the cooking, from making bhakris to boiling rice and heating water, is still done on wood-fired stoves, which residents say remain more affordable and practical

MUMBAI: While many households and restaurants across Mumbai struggle with a shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, a large section of the city’s adivasi population remains largely insulated from the disruption, as most continue to rely on traditional wood-fired stoves for their daily cooking.

Amid LPG shortage, Mumbai’s adivasi padas continue to rely on wood-fired kitchens

For the adivasi communities living in 254 padas (hamlets) across the city, LPG cylinders are often treated as a supplementary fuel rather than the primary cooking source. The bulk of the cooking, from making bhakris to boiling rice and heating water, is still done on wood-fired stoves, which residents say remain more affordable and practical.

According to Shakuntala Dalvi of the Maharashtra Adivasi Manch Kashtari Shetkari Sanghtana, more than 500,000 adivasi residents live in these padas across Mumbai. These include 56 padas inside the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivali, 27 in Aarey, 25 in Marol, 10 in Madh Island, eight in Gorai, and around 28 in the eastern suburbs between Ghatkopar and Mulund.

Dalvi said the community had similarly remained unaffected during the Covid-19 lockdown period because of their reliance on forest resources and traditional cooking methods. “Communities in forested areas such as Aarey continue to live close to nature and are relatively insulated from such shortages. However, those in more urbanised padas like Andheri face challenges similar to other Mumbaikars,” she said.

Dalvi herself maintains a farm in Palaspada and continues to cook largely on a wood-fired sigdi. “Depending on the number of guests, a gas cylinder in my house has sometimes lasted more than three months,” she said.

Inside the adivasi padas within SGNP, stacks of chopped firewood outside homes remain a common sight. The availability of open spaces also allows residents to cook on wood stoves without worrying about smoke accumulation.

Many women in these hamlets work as domestic workers or housekeeping staff and say the rising cost of LPG cylinders has pushed them further towards traditional fuels.

“Most women here got gas connections when the Ujjwala Yojana was launched around 2016. Earlier, we were denied gas connections because we did not have proper documentation. Under the scheme, we were given free stoves and paid around ₹2,200 for the cylinder,” recalled Anita Thakur, a resident.

However, residents say rising prices and the disappearance of subsidies have made LPG increasingly unaffordable.

“Initially the cylinder cost about ₹400 and we received ₹200 as subsidy in our bank account. Later the price rose to ₹800 and now it is around ₹912. After the prices increased, the subsidy stopped coming,” said Aruna Shevale, who works as a maid.

As a result, LPG is now reserved for emergencies or when cooking needs to be done quickly.

“I use the gas cylinder only during the morning rush to prepare tiffin or when guests arrive and tea has to be made quickly. For most of the cooking, we use wood-fired stoves,” said Reshma Hemale.

Firewood is usually collected from nearby forest areas, making it a readily available and cost-effective option for many households.

The continued reliance on wood-based cooking is also one of the reasons why several adivasi communities oppose rehabilitation into high-rise apartments under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes. Many residents say such housing designs do not accommodate their traditional cooking practices or lifestyle.

The government is now exploring the possibility of providing row housing for these communities in future rehabilitation projects to better align with their way of living.