Mangaluru Faces Severe LPG Shortage, Disrupting Campus Life
A critical shortage of LPG cylinders has created significant operational challenges for educational institutions across Mangaluru, forcing several to implement emergency measures including temporary hostel kitchen closures, sending students home, and modifying meal services as supplies remain uncertain.
Hostel Services Suspended, Students Sent Home
The Athena Group of Institutions, which accommodates over 700 students in its hostels, has asked all hostel residents to return home this Saturday after failing to secure sufficient cooking gas to maintain normal operations. Sr Deepa Peter, principal of Athena Institute of Health Sciences, confirmed that students from nursing and allied health science courses received notification about the suspension of hostel services due to the ongoing LPG crisis.
"We have requested students to return to their homes, shifted all academic classes to online platforms, and will communicate their return to campus only after the situation shows substantial improvement," stated Sr Deepa Peter, highlighting the institution's contingency planning.
Two additional nursing colleges in the region have taken similar emergency actions, with administrative staff confirming that students were indeed sent home on Saturday as the LPG supply situation deteriorated.
Alternative Cooking Methods and Menu Modifications
While some institutions contemplated complete hostel closures if the disruption persisted, others have turned to innovative alternative fuel sources to maintain essential cooking operations. Several colleges have implemented significant menu revisions to conserve their limited LPG supplies.
At Alva's Education Foundation in Moodubidire, which houses an impressive 17,000 hostel residents, authorities have shifted to using traditional firewood to cook only rice, while substantially trimming their regular menu offerings. Managing trustee Vivek Alva explained the institution's strategic approach to centralizing rice preparation using wood fire at a single location and distributing the cooked rice across all hostels.
"For the past week, due to the severe shortage of LPG cylinders, we have been cooking rice exclusively using firewood at one centralized kitchen facility and distributing it systematically to all our hostels," detailed Alva, emphasizing their operational adjustments.
He further noted that menu items requiring substantial LPG consumption during preparation, such as dosa, have been completely removed from daily offerings. Despite the operational strain, the institution deliberately chose not to send students home, citing critical academic concerns and ongoing examination schedules as primary considerations.
"We implemented these alternative arrangements because we cannot simply send all hostel inmates home, as this would severely disrupt their educational progress. Additionally, many of our students are currently in their examination period, necessitating these temporary measures to navigate through this challenging situation," Alva elaborated.
Widespread Institutional Adjustments
Other educational establishments have similarly revised their meal services rather than suspending hostel operations entirely. A spokesperson for Yenepoya (deemed to be university) confirmed that specific dishes including dosa and parotta have been eliminated from their regular menu due to their high LPG consumption requirements during preparation.
The crisis has left numerous campuses scrambling for temporary solutions, with institutions balancing student welfare, academic continuity, and operational feasibility amid unpredictable LPG supply chains. The collective response highlights the broader impact of fuel shortages on educational infrastructure and student accommodation services in the region.
