KULLU (Himachal Pradesh), Oct 16: Residents and hoteliers across Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district are grappling with an acute shortage of firewood ahead of winter, with the crisis affecting Manali, Tirthan and Parvati valleys amid limited supplies of commercial LPG cylinders.
The scarcity of cooking fuel has forced several hospitality businesses to explore alternatives such as firewood, coal and diesel-powered burners. Meanwhile, government run depots have started rationing fuelwood to manage the growing demand, according to local residents and hotel operators.
In Kullu, where traditional winter life revolves around the bukhari a wood burning metal heater also used for cooking the shortage has raised concerns about household heating and food preparation as temperatures begin to fall.
Sanjay Dutta, a hotel owner in Manali, said the hospitality sector was under considerable pressure due to the LPG shortage. More than 4,000 registered hotels in Manali and over 1,000 establishments in the Jibhi-Tirthan belt were facing difficulties in securing adequate fuel supplies, he said.
Hotel operators reported that monthly fuel expenditure had exceeded Rs 3 lakh in some cases. The rising costs have compelled businesses to increase food prices by around 20 to 25 per cent, adding to the financial burden on tourists and hospitality operators.
The district Food and Civil Supplies Department has acknowledged the difficulties in meeting the demand for commercial LPG cylinders, further intensifying concerns among businesses dependent on uninterrupted fuel supplies.
The firewood shortage has added another layer of difficulty, with the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Van Vikas Nigam’s timber and fuelwood depots in Shamshi and surrounding areas restricting the quantity of wood available to consumers.
Government data also points to a declining trend in dense forest cover in the district, highlighting the challenge of balancing local energy requirements with forest conservation.
Restrictions on the felling of six broad-leaved tree species — Toon, Padam, Ritha, Baan, Mango and Triyambal — for a period of 10 years have further limited the availability of legally sourced wood. The annual limit of five trees for domestic use has also constrained access to supplies, said Tulsi Devi, a homemaker from Batahar village.
Kanha Ram Godhara, a district forest officer with the HP State Forest Development Corporation Ltd, said annual fuelwood consumption in the Kullu region was approximately 10,000 quintals. In the neighbouring tribal districts of Lahaul and Spiti, demand ranged between 30,000 and 40,000 quintals annually.
Godhara said the availability of salvage wood in Kullu forests had fallen sharply because fewer fallen trees were available for collection. He added that the global energy crisis and the resulting LPG shortage had increased dependence on forest resources.
Rural households across the region continue to rely heavily on firewood for heating and cooking, particularly during the colder months. One villager estimated winter consumption at approximately five kilograms per person each day, underlining the scale of the seasonal requirement.
The HP State Forest Development Corporation, which serves as the principal supplier of fuelwood in Kullu and a major supplier to Lahaul and Spiti, is facing difficulties in meeting the anticipated demand.
Godhara said the corporation hoped to procure around 5,000 to 6,000 quintals of firewood for Kullu residents under the best-case scenario. An additional 6,000 to 7,000 quintals were expected to be sourced for consumers in Lahaul and Spiti.
Residents of villages in the Great Himalayan National Park Eco-Zone have also raised concerns about restrictions on traditional forest rights, including Bartandari and timber distribution (TD) rights. They said the limitations had left many families dependent on open-market purchases, often at higher prices.
To address the situation, villagers have demanded that additional retail fuelwood depots be opened in Manali, Bhuntar and Banjar. They have also called for fixed monthly supply quotas for local households to ensure access to fuel during winter.
Other demands include reserving at least 30 to 40 per cent of forest coupes for local fuelwood sales instead of allocating them through auctions. Hotel operators and residents have also urged authorities to ensure a steady supply of commercial LPG cylinders, arguing that reliable access to cooking gas would help reduce pressure on forests.
Officials of the HP State Forest Development Corporation said the issue was under review. They indicated that efforts would be made to improve supplies through the National Transit Pass System (NTPS) and encourage the use of permit-free agroforestry species, including Poplar, Safeda and Bamboo.
With winter approaching, residents and businesses are seeking timely intervention to prevent further disruption to household heating, cooking and tourism related activities. The situation has also highlighted the need to balance immediate fuel requirements with the long-term protection of forest resources across Himachal Pradesh’s mountain communities.