2 neighbours have shared what matters to them — in their own words.
“Response 1: We have been badly affected by the LPG situation here in Kannur. Our last cylinder took almost 6 weeks to arrive. In between we managed with an old kerosene stove the smell and smoke was awful. The price has gone up so much compared to even last year, it's really straining our monthly budget.Response 2: My neighbour runs a small bakery and he says fuel costs are killing his business slowly. He needs two cylinders a month minimum and each refill costs more than the last. He's had to cut down on home deliveries because petrol for his bike is also too expensive now.Response 3: At home we've started being very careful. We use the electric kettle and induction stove for small things and save the gas only for proper cooking. My father drives an auto rickshaw and the petrol price increase has really hit his daily earnings. He used to save something every month but these days it's barely enough. We're hoping things improve soon.”
“Response 1: We have been badly affected by the LPG situation here in Kannur. Our last cylinder took almost 6 weeks to arrive. In between we managed with an old kerosene stove the smell and smoke was awful. The price has gone up so much compared to even last year, it's really straining our monthly budget. Response 2: My neighbour runs a small bakery and he says fuel costs are killing his business slowly. He needs two cylinders a month minimum and each refill costs more than the last. He's had to cut down on home deliveries because petrol for his bike is also too expensive now. Response 3: At home we've started being very careful. We use the electric kettle and induction stove for small things and save the gas only for proper cooking. My father drives an auto rickshaw and the petrol price increase has really hit his daily earnings. He used to save something every month but these days it's barely enough. We're hoping things improve soon.”
Nearby, the main topics are centered on significant household and business strains. Residents are grappling with severe LPG supply challenges, experiencing delays of up to six weeks and resorting to less desirable alternatives like kerosene stoves ⛽️. Concurrently, rising fuel costs for both LPG and petrol are directly impacting small businesses, forcing cuts in services, and severely reducing the daily earnings of auto-rickshaw drivers, making monthly budgets extremely tight. Furthermore, the local agricultural sector is facing difficulties, with a notable decline in the quality and availability of popular mango varieties due to unpredictable weather patterns, resulting in a short season and significantly higher prices 🥭. Despite these hurdles, communities are demonstrating resilience through resourceful household adjustments, such as utilizing electric appliances to conserve gas, showcasing a proactive approach to managing scarce resources 💡.
“Response 1: Here in Kannur we mostly get Neelam and Moovandan varieties. This season the quality is just not good, they're ripening too quickly because of the heat and the taste is not there. I bought a dozen last week and half of them were overripe by the next day. Prices are also higher than usual this year.Response 2: Moovandan is the most common mango here and usually it's so good but this year it's disappointing. My neighbour has a mango tree in his compound and even those fell early this season. The ones in the market look okay from outside but inside they're fibrous. Feels like the heat just ruined the whole season.Response 3: We get Neelam and Chandrakaran mangoes in Kannur mostly. This year the season was very short by the time you got used to seeing them in the market they were gone. My mother says the trees are not flowering properly because the weather has been so unpredictable. Prices went up a lot too, almost double compared to two years back.”