DAMAULI: Residents of Tanahun district have been hit hard by the shortage of cooking gas, triggered by the blockade imposed by India at the Nepal-India border points and the ongoing Tarai agitation.

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As the unrest in Tarai and border points has crippled the daily lives in Nepal, residents of 13 VDCs of the district have been attracted towards improvised stoves (sudharieko chulo) for the cooking purpose.

Locals of Devghat, Bhanumati, Ramjakot, Arunadoya, Thaprak, Chipchipe and Ghansikuwa in the district have been attracted towards the improvised traditional technology.

Improvised stoves are made of brick, pieces of iron rods, sugar, salt, husks, jute sack and straws.

Such a stove is considered health-friendly as it consumes less firewood, thereby producing less smoke.

Meanwhile, Energy Section of the District Development Committee in coordination with Tanahun Rural Empowerment Society is conducting a nine-day training on making improvised stoves in the district.

Trainers Hari Sharan Sothi and Manohari Kafle are facilitating the training for 20 participants about the construction of single-faced, double-faced, triple-faced, multifaceted, institutional and rocket types of improved stoves.

According to Prakash Bhandari, an engineer at the District Development Committee, this programme would help the Tanahun district in becoming a smoke-free district.

As many as 14, 550 households in the district have been using improvised stoves.