A severe shortage of LPG supply and skyrocketing prices have triggered an alarming shift back to traditional fuelwood in households and eateries across West Bengal. While this move offers temporary financial relief, environmentalists and health experts are sounding the alarm over the catastrophic long-term consequences. This trend threatens to derail two decades of progress made toward clean cooking energy.

Noted environmental expert Professor Purushottam Reddy warns that burning wood releases toxic pollutants like Carbon Monoxide, Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5), and Black Carbon. Prolonged exposure to this smoke is a leading cause of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other severe respiratory ailments. The environmental cost is equally staggering; burning just 1 kg of wood emits nearly 2 kg of CO2. A commercial kitchen consuming 100 kg of wood daily is effectively pumping 200 kg of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Experts advocate for a transition to renewable energy sources, specifically solar-powered induction cooking, as a sustainable alternative. Installing rooftop solar panels could provide a permanent solution to the energy crisis while protecting public health and preventing deforestation. The current reliance on fuelwood is not just a health hazard but a major contributor to global warming. Without immediate intervention and a shift toward green energy, the “smoke from the hearth” could soon become a silent killer in millions of homes.