I am reminded of an incident from 2005. I had just started my career in rural development in Chhatola, a small village in the famous fruit belt of Ramgarh, Nainital. One morning, a local woman entered the courtyard of our staff quarters and began cutting a few twigs from a tree.
My colleagues—environmentalist and nature-lovers—were deeply hurt. They rushed out to stop her. After a brief confrontation, the frail woman climbed down, muttered a few bitter words, and walked away.
That moment stayed with me. Why did she walk so far for just a few twigs? Didn't she have anything better to do at dawn? What kind of systemic pressure forced her to pick a fight with an organization just for firewood? She knew she would be stopped, yet she came. Why?
Years later, between 2010 and 2020, while working in Mandla (Madhya Pradesh), I saw this scene every single morning. Lines of women carrying heavy head-loads of wood; men carrying split logs in shoulder slings. Despite the launch of the Ujjwala Yojana (LPG scheme), biogas, and smokeless stoves, the number of women carrying wood never seemed to decrease.
The Illusion of Progress: By the Numbers
If we look at the data, the paradox becomes clear:
| Survey Source | Metric | Firewood/Solid Fuel Usage (%) | Est. Population |
| NSSO (2023) | Consumption | 37% (National) | ~520 Million |
| NFHS-5 (2021) | Primary Fuel | 41% (National) | ~580 Million |
| CEEW (2025) | Total Users (Stacking) | 54% (National) | ~750 Million |
In the last 30 years, the percentage of dependent households dropped from 65% to about 38%. But because our population has exploded, the absolute number remains stagnant at over 500 million. If you include "fuel stackers"—those who have a gas connection but still burn wood to save money—that number hits nearly 750 million.
The War and the Supply Chain Fallacy
Now, look at these numbers through the lens of the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. As global supply chains break and LPG prices skyrocket, millions are retreating from gas back to wood.
Our obsession with "modernity" and "technological progress" often ignores a simple truth: these solutions are tethered to fragile global supply chains. They are not permanent cures. We sell dreams of clean gas, but we have no plan for the 550 million people who rely on the forest.
Colonial Forestry vs. Rural Reality
Our forest management doesn't account for human need. Our forests are increasingly filled with invasive shrubs or "high-value" timber that cannot be touched. Our policies make life harder for the very women they claim to help.
Furthermore, our colonial environmental mindset paints these women as criminals. We call them "protectors of the forest" in speeches, but the moment they gather wood for their children's meal, they become "enemies of the forest."
In reality, gathering dry, fallen wood reduces the risk of forest fires (Vandanal). When people are barred from entering forests, dry biomass accumulates, turning forests into tinderboxes during the dry season.
Local Wisdom vs. State Policy
The community’s "common sense" has always outpaced state policy:
In Mandla, people turned the invasive Lantana into a primary fuel source.
In Rajasthan and Gujarat, Prosopis juliflora (Vilayati Babool) is used for charcoal.
Communities know which wood burns best and which trees to preserve.
Yet, government nurseries prioritize timber like Teak or Shisham. They plant species that cattle won’t eat and that don't provide good fuel—like Karanj or Palash—which produce more smoke than heat.
The Tools of the People
Finally, look at the tools. A woman carries a sickle (hansiya) to gather fodder and twigs. A man carries an axe for timber. Have you ever seen a local villager with a chainsaw? No. The chainsaw is the tool of the timber mafia, not the people.
Conclusion: The "firewood problem" isn't a lack of technology; it's a lack of justice and local integration. Until we stop treating rural energy needs as a crime and start managing forests for people—not just for timber—the smoke from the traditional stove will continue to rise.
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