Food is cooked using firewood in the hotel due to interruption of commercial LPG cylinder supply at Aachapura in Sagar taluk. | Photo credit: SK Dinesh
The disruption in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders has hit hotels and small restaurants in rural areas hard.
Many small hotel owners who usually earn a few thousand rupees a day have been forced to shut down due to non-availability of LPG. While some continue with a very limited menu, most have switched to cooking with firewood. This sudden shift increased the demand for firewood in rural areas.
On Sunday (March 29, 2026) morning, a group of travelers heading to Sagar on the busy Bengaluru-Honnavara Road stopped at Hotel Mallika Veg at Anandapura in Sagar taluk for breakfast. When one of them asked for a menu. The cashier replied that there was no need as the only item available was Puliyogare.
The hotel staff claimed that they had stopped serving several items due to severe shortage of commercial LPG cylinders. Another popular hotel in Kumsi in Shivamogga taluk, which used to attract people from Shivamogga for its delicious dosa, remained closed on Sunday (March 29, 2026).
Dastagir, who runs a small hotel called Mannath in Aachapura, Sagar taluk, normally needs only three to four commercial LPG cylinders a month. Since bottles are extremely difficult to come by, he too has switched to cooking firewood. He procures firewood from a sawmill at Ripponpet in Hosanagar taluk.
“Earlier, the sawmill charged ₹300 per quintal of firewood. Now they have increased it by ₹50. Besides, I paid another ₹800 for transportation,” said Mr. Dastagir. Like him, many hotels have switched to cooking with firewood.
The hotel owners fear that if the situation continues for a few more days, they will face financial difficulties. Several workers have already lost their jobs and are forced to look for alternative employment. “We are managing the business and hope things will be better in the coming days,” said Mr. Dastagir.
Published – 29 March 2026 16:56 IST
