LPG disruptions may hit midday meals, residential schools

Ranchi/Dhanbad: The ongoing LPG cylinder shortage has begun affecting midday meal kitchens and boarding schools. While some Ranchi schools said they are managing the situation for now, others fear disruptions if supply is not streamlined soon. In Dhanbad, reports suggested that many schools have LPG stock sufficient for four to five days, prompting the education department to closely monitor the situation, especially in residential institutions.

Vishwajeet Adhikari, assistant teacher at a govt school in Bajra, said they prepare midday meals for around 800 children daily and require around two LPG cylinders daily. “Today, we used up the last cylinder. We requested the suppliers and district administration to provide cylinders immediately so that food preparation does not stop,” he said. Adhikari added that the district superintendent of education has asked schools to share their LPG requirements so that supplies can be arranged in time.




To conserve gas, the school has modified its menu. “Instead of cooking rice and dal separately, we are preparing khichdi to reduce LPG consumption,” he said.

Jayshree Mukherjee, headmistress of a high school in Lalpur, said students of classes 6 to 8 get midday meals. “For the last few days we were able to cook because we had cylinders in stock,” she said, adding that currently around 200 students get meals.

Another govt school teacher, requesting anonymity, said, “We asked for six cylinders but were told that only four would be provided for the time being.”

Residential schools in Ranchi are also facing similar concerns. A private boarding school has already exhausted its LPG cylinders and shifted to cooking on coal ovens.

Purbendu Das, administrative head of the school, said, “We have coal stock for just two more days. If we do not get cylinders soon, providing food for children will become a major problem.”

He pointed out that the issue is particularly worrying as Class 12 board examinations are underway. “We hope the administration takes action so the students are not affected,” Das said.

Anuj Sharma, a governing body member of another residential school, said their LPG stocks will last for about a week. “There are 60 children in our boarding school and if we do not receive cylinders on time, feeding them will become difficult,” he said.

Principal of another school, P S Kalra, however, said, “If there is a shortage we will use diesel burners or coal and wood for cooking. Govt announced that supply will be streamlined, so we are hopeful. Also, as the academic year is ending, children will return home after a week.”

Sub-divisional officer Rajat Kumar said that, on the directions of Ranchi deputy commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri, a district-level monitoring committee was formed to ensure LPG supply to essential services, including hospitals, anganwadi centres, old-age homes, orphanages, hostels run by the welfare department, midday meal centres, observation homes, jails and CAPF units.

Bhajantri told TOI on Friday, “The administration has so far not received any complaints related to LPG shortage from anganwadis and midday meal centres. We are keeping a close watch on the situation.”

“A special team is also coordinating with the oil companies so that services are restored as soon as possible. Indian Oil delivers around 10,500 cylinders daily in normal situations. They are doing it now also, but due to an upgrade-related issue with their website, people could not book their LPG cylinders and resorted to queuing up at agencies. We asked all police stations to ensure there are no law and order problems,” the DC said.

In Dhanbad district, nearly 25% schools are on the verge of exhausting their LPG supplies. The district has around 10 residential schools, which may face difficulties if the gas supply is disrupted. The district administration issued instructions to ensure that schools and hospitals do not face any shortage of LPG cylinders.

District education superintendent Ayush Kumar said that no school officially reported a complete exhaustion of cylinders so far, adding that the administration has directed gas agencies to prioritise supply to schools and hospitals.

With inputs from Saptarshi Banerjee