Nutan no more

The growing popularity of LPG has put paid to the hopes of Nutan stove makers in Madhya Pradesh.

Massive shortage of kerosene and the growing use of LPG for cooking have snuffed out the flickering hopes of Nutan wick-stoves makers in Madhya Pradesh.

Manufacturers say that if government does not stop the black marketing of kerosene at prices far higher than those stipulated ,this poor people's product will soon become a 'museum piece'.

Of the 12 licensed manufacturers of Nutan wick-stoves, developed by the Indian Institute of Petroleum in the 1960s, four are in Madhya Pradesh. Two are in Indore and two in Ujjain. Two of these companies have shut shop. Two others also see a bleak future for their product and are planning to switch to other products.

"We now manufacture only 100 to 150 units a day against an earlier production of around a 1000 prices a day," says M Mohammad Naalwala, an Ujjain based manufacturer said. His unit, Amika Screen Works, has already switched over to other products. "There are no chances of creating new jobs in this industry. This has to be closed one day," Naalwala said. His work force has fallen from 90 to 18.

Super Steel Industries of Indore and Kero Stove Industries in Ujjain have discontinued manufacturing the product due to the steep fall in demand.

The manufacturers say if the government makes efforts to make kerosene easily available and slash its black market prices, the units may get a fresh lease of life.

"Earlier, the union ministry of petroleum marketed Nutan stoves through petrol pumps. Now, there is no marketing even for the economically weaker sections," Naalwala pointed out.

Another manufacturer Anil Gorani, of Gorani Industries said, "We produce 10000 units per month, which is 15 per cent of what we used to make in the 1980s when we started. We have already closed one unit, Super Steel Manufacturing in Indore. Easy availability of gas connections and rising price of kerosene have forced us to close down the unit," Gorani said.