Dhangadhi, December 16 The use of charcoal, prepared from waste and useless weed has increased following the severe crunch of LPG in Kailali district. Bikram Kunwar, owner of Chaumala-based Shubhalav Traders, said Kailali folks were buying charcoal following the crisis of cooking gas in the markets. “The demand for charcoal has mostly increased among hotels and restaurants,” he added. Local charcoal entrepreneurs said demand for their product had soared with the dip in temperature as well as shortage of cooking gas. “Though the demand is high, we cannot produce to meet consumers’ demand,” they added. Meanwhile, locals said charcoal emitted less smoke and lasted longer for preparing meals. Officer Usha Poudel of Bio-energy and Knowledge Management and Monitoring said the useless weed could be converted into fuel in the form of charcoal. “We have been trying our best to convert the waste into charcoal as a source of alternative energy and it has been beneficial,” she informed. The locals at Phulbari and Chaumala, among other places of Kailali, have been producing charcoal as an alternative to cooking gas. Aita Chaudhary of Phulbari said villagers were using as well as selling charcoal to meet the demand. There are as many as 25 charcoal entrepreneurs in Kailali district.