“Our livelihood depends on this work; it feels like a lockdown again”

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

“The situation is getting difficult… our entire livelihood depends on this business. We somehow completed earlier orders, but taking new work now seems impossible. It feels like the lockdown days of the pandemic again,” say representative women home entrepreneurs from the city, whose homemade delicacies are an integral part of many households’ celebrations.

The ongoing gas shortage has left these women distressed. The season for preparing traditional dried foods and festive items has come to a halt due to lack of cooking gas. For many, this is not just a business but the sole source of family income, which has now dropped to zero.

15 years of hard work at stake

Vandana Deshmukh, who has been in the snacks business for 15–20 years, says the business has nearly collapsed. She struggled for eight days to find a gas cylinder to complete pending orders and finally managed to get a small 3 kg cylinder. She is now preparing chakli and laddoos from it. Due to the shortage, she had to cancel a stall at a major exhibition and is worried about upcoming Chaitra Gauri orders.

Loss of Rs 20,000–25,000

For Manisha Chavan, the Gudi Padwa and summer season usually bring peak business for papads and dried foods. However, due to the gas shortage, she has been forced to cook on traditional wood-fired stoves, facing heavy smoke. She had to decline new orders and suffered losses of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000.

Lockdown memories return

Varsha Pohekar, who takes food orders for small events, says her family depends entirely on this work. “The gas shortage has left us completely stuck. It feels just like the harsh lockdown period again,” she said.

Determined to continue

Facing a dual challenge of gas shortage and unreliable electric stoves, Shivkanya Patil said she would rely entirely on traditional stoves going forward. Being from a rural background, she is accustomed to it and continues making jowar, bajra, and potato papads.