Haveri District Hospitality Sector Forced to Revert to Traditional Wood-Fired Cooking Methods
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has created ripple effects reaching the heart of Karnataka's Haveri district, where a significant disruption in cooking gas supply has compelled hotels and food manufacturing units to make an abrupt switch to wood-fired stoves. This sudden shift has raised immediate concerns within the local forest department, which is now intensively monitoring for potential illegal tree cutting as the demand for firewood surges dramatically.
Operational Halts and a Return to Tradition
In major metropolitan areas lacking alternative fuel infrastructure, establishments relying exclusively on LPG have seen their operations nearly grind to a complete halt. However, in second- and third-tier cities like Haveri, the traditional knowledge of using wood-fired stoves has provided a critical, though challenging, lifeline. The acute shortage of liquefied petroleum gas cylinders has forced numerous businesses to dust off and reactivate these older cooking methods to maintain service.
"We have been cooking with wood-fired stoves for the past three days," lamented Bapugouda Patil, owner of a hotel on Old PB Road in Haveri. "The staff have also agreed, as it is necessary, but it is difficult to continue like this for long." His sentiment echoes across the district's hospitality sector, highlighting the unsustainable nature of this emergency measure.
Forest Department on High Alert
Officials confirm that the current gas cylinder shortage has directly escalated the demand for firewood, triggering significant alarm within the forest department. Forest guards, foresters, and officials up to the Deputy Forest Officer (DFO) and Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) levels are actively monitoring the situation, driven by fears of a spike in illegal tree felling to meet this new demand.
Environmental activist Giridhar Kulkarni formally drew the attention of Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre to this very possibility. In response, Minister Khandre issued a directive on Thursday, ordering all forest divisions across the state to maintain strict vigilance against illegal tree cutting. "The order was strictly followed," confirmed Haveri Deputy Forest Conservator Vikas, underscoring the department's proactive stance.
Underlying Vulnerabilities and Public Panic
The crisis exposes deeper vulnerabilities. Haveri district, which encompasses approximately 43,000 hectares of forest land, already faces a shortage of staff for forest protection and has over 3,000 documented cases of forest encroachment. Compounding these issues, the intense summer heat heightens the risk of forest fires, placing the department on a state of high alert for multiple threats simultaneously.
Meanwhile, a wave of unnecessary public panic has exacerbated the situation. Although there is reportedly no current shortage of domestic gas cylinders for households, widespread fear has led to a massive influx of advance bookings. This surge overwhelmed the gas company's servers, causing them to crash. In Haveri, crowds were seen rushing directly to local gas agencies, demanding cylinders and creating chaotic scenes of customer congestion.
This panic has also trickled into rural households, where families are using gas sparingly and many have begun cooking on wood-fired stoves as a precautionary measure, further increasing the strain on local wood resources.
Official Reassurances and Continued Vigilance
Akshay Prakashkar, the DFO of Haveri, provided an update on the enforcement efforts. "Due to the gas cylinder shortage, the forest minister has ordered vigilance against illegal tree cutting. I have already instructed all forest officers in the district," he stated. "Currently, no cases of illegal tree cutting have been reported in the district." This statement offers some reassurance but also emphasizes that the monitoring is preemptive and ongoing, as the district navigates this fuel crisis triggered by distant geopolitical tensions.
