Komram Sombai, the granddaughter of legendary Gond martyr Komram Bheem, is the happiest person in the agency area of Adilabad district now. She has just learnt to operate the LPG kit gifted to her by a benevolent police officer about three months back, which enables her to cook food on the smokeless stove.
First descendant
The poor Adivasi woman from the historic Jodeghat village is also happy as she has attained the distinction of being the first descendent of the martyr to own an LPG connection. She is held in awe by her compatriots as such ‘luxury’ has remained a dream in the Adivasi world.
Yes, owning an LPG connection is a luxury for the poverty ridden aboriginal people of Adilabd district who are scattered mainly over 16 mandals.
The users of LPG among the Gonds, Kolams, Naikpods, Mannes, Thotis, Andhs etc, numbering 3.2 lakh of the total tribal population of 4.2 lakh in this district, can be counted on fingers as by and large these communities depend on the jungles to collect firewood for meeting their fuel needs.
Sombai had received the gift from the police officer in August after the State government’s Integrated Household Survey revealed her poverty to the world.
The kit lay waste for over two months as she, much like others in her village, did not know how to operate it.
“My nephew Bande Rao taught me to use gas for cooking,” reveals the descendent of Bheem. She lights the fire after carefully turning the knob of the LPG stove to demonstrate her newly acquired knowledge.
“I am cooking rice and dal on this stove only,” she says, indicating in the process, the limitation that LPG usage has in Adivasi ethos.
“I cannot make jowar roti on this,” she adds pointing towards the apparatus which is set up on the floor in the one living room of her modest ‘house’.
“This is easy and smooth to operate when compared to the oven which consumes firewood.
The smoke does not worry me as much now,” Sombai says of the advantage of LPG over the traditional hearth.
