Under a cloud, prime Bhopal varsities mull leaner menu for students

Bhopal: Despite no official restriction or cuts in their LPG use, top educational institutions in city, including the National Law Institute University (NLIU), are grappling with acute shortages of commercial 19-kg LPG cylinders, forcing temporary cuts in hostel mess operations.NLIU, a premier law school, has issued a "Temporary Adjustment in Mess Operations" notice due to restricted supplies. In a letter to registrar Vivek Bakshi, the mess committee reported that caterers are struggling to secure enough cylinders for daily cooking. After an emergency meeting, the committee decided to centralize food preparation at the Old Boys' Hostel kitchen, with meals distributed to the other four hostels serving around 5,000 students. To stretch limited gas, breakfast and snacks will prioritize low-cook items like fruits and ready-to-serve foods, minimizing high-gas recipes. Lunch and dinner will stick to rice and dal but drop to one vegetable dish instead of two. "These arrangements are temporary to ensure smooth mess services during the crisis," the committee stated. Registrar Bakshi confirmed the changes: "We have made adjustments as per the need."The ripple effect is hitting other institutes. The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), home to 3,000 students across different hostels, plans similar measures within days. Registrar Gaurav Awasthi said, "We have written to the state govt and expect a reply tomorrow on cylinder availability. We're planning to curtail menu items and cook in a single mess kitchen instead of multiple ones."Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), with 5,000 students in their hostels, is monitoring the situation. "As of now, there are no problems, but if it persists, we'll have to curtail food items in the menu," an official noted. Students worry about nutrition, but administrators stress these are short-term fixes. Interestingly, this is happening when it was ensured by the govt that commercial supply would be continued to educational institutions.