India, March 16 -- While many households and restaurants across Mumbai struggle with a shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, a large section of the city's adivasi population remains largely insulated from the disruption, as most continue to rely on traditional wood-fired stoves for their daily cooking.

For the adivasi communities living in 254 padas (hamlets) across the city, LPG cylinders are often treated as a supplementary fuel rather than the primary cooking source. The bulk of the cooking, from making bhakris to boiling rice and heating water, is still done on wood-fired stoves, which residents say remain more affordable and practical.

According to Shakuntala Dalvi of the Maharashtra Adivasi Manch Kashtari Shetkari S...