Rural families struggle as cooking gas shortage drags on for weeks
A severe cooking gas shortage has hit rural areas, leaving many families struggling to prepare meals. In Sardarpur and surrounding villages, residents have gone over a month without reliable access to cylinders, forcing some to turn to wood or cow dung as alternatives. The crisis stems from global supply chain disruptions tied to conflicts involving the US, Israel, and Iran. Local gas agencies report receiving only partial stock from suppliers, according to Assistant Food Officer Ashish Joshi. As a result, deliveries now take around eight days after booking—far longer than usual.
Rural consumers face stricter refill rules, allowed to rebook cylinders only after 45 days, compared to 25 days for urban users. Many agencies have halted door-to-door deliveries, leaving people to queue at offices with empty cylinders, often returning without success. Shortages have driven black market prices skyward. Domestic cylinders, once priced at Rs 949, now sell for Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000. Commercial cylinders have jumped from Rs 1,200 to as much as Rs 2,600.
The ongoing shortage has disrupted daily life, pushing families toward unsafe cooking methods. With no immediate solution in sight, residents continue to face delays, inflated costs, and unreliable access to essential fuel supplies.
