In This Karnataka Village You Don't Need A Stove To Cook, Just Light A Match To The Ground

It's a bizarre scene at an abandoned quarry in Lakshmipura, Anekal, 25km south of Bengaluru.

Cooking without a stove!

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Crevices of the flattened earth in a part of the quarry spew gas that ignites at the light of a match. Rainwater collected in nearby pits boils and the heat in the area is perceptible. The gas bubbling out is the highly combustible and toxic methane. On Monday morning, an even more bizarre scene played out as several residents came to the open ground and started boiling water and cooking rice and egg in aluminium utensils by simply lighting a match on the ground. This was their way of highlighting the BBMP's apathy.

Under their village is a big gas cylinder!

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Residents alleged that the fire and smoke is due to unscientific dumping of the city's waste at the quarry till recently. They said after dumping organic waste here, authorities piled layers of soil on it to flatten the earth. "We were able cook the rice and egg, which means what is beneath our village is a big gas cylinder," said Vijay Kumar, a local resident. However, experts had a not-so-simple explanation. They say the site was meant only for non-degradable waste such as plastic and e-waste but instead organic waste was dumped.

"The carelessness of authorities led to the dumping of degradable waste, including food. Once the area was covered with soil, the degradable waste inside started decaying and produced methane. Naturally the gas wanted to escape. The recent rain gave it that option by coming out of crevices," said Kiran P Kulkarni, an environmentalist, who has been working with villagers.

Just like a biogas chamber

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He said this worked just like a biogas chamber installed in households. "In Mandur, we have a similar problem but so far we have not seen gases escaping," he added. The methane has caused contamination of underground water up to a 2km radius and increased temperatures in the area over the past six months.

"You leave the ground and you feel a sudden change in temperature. Apart from the gas catching fire, heat waves are common here," said Rajesh Kumar, a resident. Authorities are now trying to control the damage. Earthmovers were brought and 8-9 spots where the gas was emanating dug out. "We are also piling steel rods into the garbage to pour in effective microbial solution. At least 10,000 litres have to be pumped in over time, so that the waste inside dissolves," said Muniraju, joint commissioner, Bommanahalli.

A large number of saplings need to be planted to accelerate the decomposition of waste. BBMP officials said up to 3,000 trees will be planted in coming months.

Cooking becomes easy but borewells burn

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Seema Jalaludheen, 40, migrated to Bengaluru from Bengal four years ago. Her family can't afford gas stoves and uses wood for cooking. For the past six months, her task has been made easy. To set the logs aflame, all she's had to do is to dig a hole in the ground and light a match. The methane that bubbles out is being used by the family to make tea and boil water. On Monday, Seema even made eggs.

Her family includes her husband, two sons, daughter-in-law and a grandson, and cooking for all using firewood is no mean feat.

"About six months ago, we realized the gas from the ground could be used for cooking. It is not consistent but helps us nevertheless," said Seema. Just across Seema's house lives Kaverappa, a farmer. His 12-yearold son Manjunath was busy all day. Each time a visitor came to the spot, he displayed how their borewell was spewing fire. He took a bunch of dry leaves and just placed it over the borewell tube. The leaves went up in flames. For the boy, it may be playtime, but Kaverappa has bigger worries. "I've been farming here for a long time. I'm told the borewell water is contaminated. Along with my family, I have to care about those who eat my vegetables. There was a time when we used to get water from the quarry," he said.

(Originally published in the Times of India)