Community Forest Distributes Gas Stoves to Reduce Firewood Dependency

Hemraj Chaudhary, hailing from Bhajani Municipality-9, has a weak financial status. He used to rely on firewood for cooking, collecting it from a nearby community forest. Later, he was freed from the compulsion of using a firewood stove and was filled with joy when he received a stove along with a gas cylinder from Om Shanti Community Forest.

Like Hemraj, 180 families have moved away from dependency on firewood after the community forest distributed gas stoves and cylinders to destitute users. Hemraj commented, “When we get a gas stove, we make use of it. The compulsion to go to the forest and look for firewood has ended.”

Madhu Devi Chaudhary, a user of the community forest, also expressed happiness that her long-standing compulsion to cook using firewood had ended. “By-gone are the days of wood. Now I utilize my time to serve other purposes,” she said, sharing her joy at accessing a stove and cylinder.

Sunita Chaudhary, a consumer, used to worry every rainy season. She recalled how difficult it was when all the wood stored at her home got soaked in water. “Now that painstaking moment will not come back. Cooking has become easier after getting gas at home,” she added.

Asharam Chaudhary, who belongs to a poor family, said the initiative would save time in the future. She noted that the time previously spent searching for firewood could now be used productively. “One had to go in search of firewood. Besides, cooking food was also a daily routine of a person.”

According to Forest Chair Raj Kumar Chaudhary, gas stoves were distributed to 180 families at the rate of Rs 8,000 per family, funded by income generated from the forest. “Every year, we had to provide firewood to the users. Due to lack of wood as per their demand, swathes of forest land had started getting polluted,” he said.

He added, “Now most of the poor families have access to gas stoves,” expressing his belief that the initiative will contribute to forest conservation.