Jamshedpur Midday Meal Kitchen Solves LPG Crisis with Diesel Boilers

Jamshedpur: A centralised kitchen, which cooks midday meals for 40,000 schoolchildren in Bistupur, has been unaffected by the LPG shortage due to use of diesel-propelled steam boilers.Officials of the Iskcon Annamitra Foundation, which runs the modular kitchen, said that four mechanised stoves at the 1.4-acre kitchen at Ram Das Bhatta are equipped with both gas and fuel-propelled systems.“To reduce production cost, we shifted to diesel-based steam boilers about six years ago. It helped us bring down 20% of the expenditure,” said Sudhir Kumar, branch manager.“Combustion of fuel inside the boiler’s chamber produces high-temperature gas that transfers heat energy to the water surrounding the chamber and makes it boil,” said a kitchen staff explaining the system.

Food cooked in steam is said to preserve nutrients. Besides, the meals are sealed in environmentally-friendly packets for distribution, officials said.Kumar said that the kitchen caters to 375 govt-run primary and middle schools in the two adjoining districts of East Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan. A total of 40 customised vans transport the meals on weekdays.“Until there’s any issue with the availability of fuel (diesel), there won't be any problem in cooking meals and transporting it to children in far-off schools,” Kumar said.Principal of the govt primary school, Ghatsila, Sajid Ahmad, said that children who receive meals from the kitchen are fortunate that catering was not impacted due to the LPG crisis.