Pulppally: As the shortage of cooking gas continues to worsen, forcing several hotels and eateries to shut down, Sindhu Suresh, a native of Anappara, is keeping her small eatery running by turning to a firewood stove.

Though she had initially considered closing her eatery unit, which has been operating for years in front of the post office, Sindhu chose to face the crisis with determination. In a single day, fashioned two makeshift stoves by cutting open a metal barrel and put them to use immediately. Her primary concern, she says, was to ensure that the regular customers who depend on her for their daily meals were not left disappointed.

Confident of securing sufficient firewood, Sindhu was determined to run the establishment without relying on LPG. The firewood stoves proved successful from day one, prompting her to even question whether a return to gas stoves is necessary. Despite the heat and smoke, she continues to prepare everything, from rice to curries, over the firewood stoves.

Customers, too, have taken a liking to the food cooked this way. With nearly 50 hotels already shut in the district and even tea becoming hard to find in marketplaces, the situation has grown increasingly difficult. People visiting hospitals and other public places are also struggling to access food and drinking water.

Sindhu notes that such stoves can be made at low cost by cutting open a barrel, reinforcing the base to hold utensils and ensuring proper ventilation for airflow and smoke to escape. These stoves can also be used in homes based on availability of firewood. They are more efficient than traditional ground stoves, as they retain heat better and can be moved around as needed.