Livelihood & Scarcity

Forests are disappearing, livelihoods are being destroyed. Forests are also getting depleted, herbs are disappearing. It's not like it used to be.

— Chanda · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Yes, the shortage of LPG cylinders has affected us a lot. Because cylinders are not always available on time, we sometimes use an induction stove and even firewood for cooking. Collecting wood from nearby forest areas requires extra effort and makes daily cooking more difficult.

— Sahil Singh · Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

There is a very big shortage of gas in our rural areas. Because of this, we have to work very hard to manage household expenses. Due to the increase in gas prices, we cook on a traditional stove (chulha). We bring fuel from the farm and cook on a chulha. And because the prices of fuel have also increased, we travel on foot.

— Pragati Raut · Akola, Maharashtra

Large trees have been cut down, due to which it is becoming difficult to find forest vegetables and herbs.

— Kachala Choudhary

Herbs are running out, water and forests are getting depleted.

— Vinita Singh Yadav · Mukasim, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

There is a lack of new technology, good seeds, and irrigation. We do farming, but the cost is high and the profit is low.

— VEER SINGH SIJUI · Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand

Baldev Singh | 70 yrs The increasing fuel prices are directly effecting farming in our area. The prices of fertilisers, insecticides and other stuff used in farming have increased substantially. Moreover, the price of transportation has also increased. This is causing great problems for the community which is largly dependent on farming. The LPG cylinder rates have also hiked. There is no help from the government.

— Harmanjot Kaur · Rajgarh, Barnala, Punjab

I am Lakshmanarayanan. I am a weaver. Now, due to the gas shortage, cooking is very difficult. Now, we have to buy firewood from nearby to cook. They have also increased the price of firewood due to the shortage. So, it's very difficult now. Now, it's the rainy season. During the rainy season, from 5-6 PM, strong winds blow. It rains. So, cooking with firewood is a bit difficult. If there wasn't this gas shortage, we could manage a bit. Our weaving business is already going through some difficulties. Now, with this situation, life is becoming a bit harder.

— Divagar N · Parakkalur AD Street, Salem, Tamil Nadu

For us, due to this forest being depleted, there are all these types of dry wood, resin, and charcoal.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

Our farming activities are affected by a lack of water.

— SUSANTA PATTNAYAK · Adaba, Gajapati, Odisha

The environment was good before, now it doesn't rain on time, due to which farming is not good.

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

Face more population, pollution. Now, vehicle pollution is high. There are more vehicles, all the trees have been cut. All the animals have decreased. Because of that, pollution is increasing a bit.

— Installation Visitor

I am a housewife at home. Gas shortage is very difficult for us. If our gas runs out and we book it, it takes 60 days to get it. Even if we book, it takes more than 10-15 days to get it. Also, because it's sold on the black market, we don't get it properly because it's a village. It's very difficult for firewood. Firewood prices have also increased. Due to gas shortage, firewood prices have also increased a lot, so we can't buy that either. Gas shortage is very difficult for us. Cooking itself is very hard. Don't know what to do.

— Divagar N · Kuppamuthu valavu, Jalakandapuram, Salem

Nowadays, forests are being cleared. We used to get food from the forest, but now we are not getting it. Instead, we are consuming food grown with chemical fertilizers.

— jitendra khila · kudumulugumma, Malkangiri, Odisha

Earlier, we used to farm with plows and oxen. Today, it's the age of machines, and we farm using them. However, we often face economic problems, due to which we have to go to the city separately to earn a living.

— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

Depletion of natural resources, trees are being cut down, ponds are getting filled up, the balance of nature is deteriorating.

— VEER SINGH SIJUI · Seraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand

Women in rural and tribal areas of Odisha depend entirely on the environment for collecting firewood, drinking water, and forest products (e.g., tendu leaves, mahua). When the environment deteriorates, they have to work harder to get these things.Women are most affected during natural disasters like cyclones, floods, and droughts. Environmental pollution or climate change makes their lifestyle difficult.

— Sonali Behera

In the present era, due to unseasonal weather, the yield of agricultural crops has decreased.

— Padmalochan Majhi · Ratachua, Rayagada, Odisha

They do farming without water, but now it has decreased, it doesn't ripen.

— Kachala Choudhary

Due to deforestation, we are unable to cultivate properly. It is not raining.

— Karunakar Uthansing · Dhusarigan, Kandhamal, Odisha

It is very difficult to do farming and clean the house. We are not getting any manure. Therefore, we are forced to use fertilizer. Memnima Sundar Samita

— Upendra Kumar Mahananda

It feels to me that in the coming time, farming remained very difficult, and our work got a bit stalled. Now we cannot do it; we realized this earlier.

— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

Yes, this has affected us. In our village, sometimes gas cylinders are not available on time. Also, gas prices have increased a lot, due to which household expenses have risen. So, we use gas sparingly. We cook as much as possible on a stove and only light the gas when there is a great need. The wood obtained from the fields or cow dung cakes are very useful. This saves gas and reduces the stress of increased expenses a little. In this way, we manage this difficulty.

— Pragati Raut · Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra

We have seen many changes in the forest nowadays, such as trees and plants being cut down, the forest being deforested, herbs disappearing, animals and birds going extinct, and the water level depleting.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

Yes, damage has definitely occurred. Previously, people used to obtain two traditional food items by cutting trees from the forest. Now, these are not available. Furthermore, there has been extensive damage to medicinal plants, and those are also not available.

— gobardhan pangi

Death's auspicious and inauspicious beauty. Previously, we used to sustain our livelihoods by collecting various roots from the forest. Now, roots are not available, and animals...

— Sasmita Mallick · Gandhinagar, Rayagada, Odisha

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.

— Shalin Sanish · Kumbam, Kannur, Kerala

In ancient times, people used to depend on the forest for their livelihood. But now, since the forest has become depleted, they are no longer able to get tubers, leaves, fruits, and roots from the forest. Therefore, the forest in greater quantity...

— SUBASH SABHASUNDAR · Gajapati, Odisha

Due to LPG shortage, the prices of LPG have gone up, so we can't eat much because we have to save a lot. It's very difficult because we have to save a lot. Due to this, petrol prices have also increased. Petrol prices had increased earlier, it was around ₹100 before. Now it's around ₹108. So, if someone was putting petrol for ₹300, now they have to put it for ₹400 daily. Because of that, it's very difficult for me to manage our daily life and figure out where we are going.

— Urvashi Sriraman · Mugalivakkam, Chennai Corporation, Chennai

There is an electricity problem in our village. There is a water problem in our village. Ration is not directly available in our village.

— Anand tandiya · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh

Today, significant changes are being observed in the forests of our region. Forests are being cut down, leading to climate change. Rain is occurring at irregular times. Agriculture is also being affected.

— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand

Due to the shortage of LPG, our work has been greatly affected. We run a fast-food shop, so we need gas daily for that. And because of LPG gases, the price of gas for commercial usage has increased from 1000 to 3-4000 rupees, which makes it very difficult for us to procure it. This has also affected our work, and we have had to increase the prices of our items. What we used to sell for 30, we now sell for 40-50 after making it, because the price of LPG has become expensive, so things will also become expensive for us.

— Anshika Saxena · Kichha, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand

Due to living conditions

— Sunita Kumari · Ghorawal, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh

We have been living in this area for many years. What we see in our region is that the forest cover has also decreased. There are no animals now.

— sudhir gamanga · Gadiakhala, Ketalugurha, Rayagada