Change in Cooking with Electric Stove

I am Krishna Sunar living with my wife, a son and a daughter in Arukharka of Fedikhola Rural Municipality of Syangja District of Gandaki Province, Nepal. My monthly income is about 20000 rupees I earn from driving, agriculture and other labor works which covers my minimum monthly expenditure such as children’s education, household expense, medication and other immediate needs.

In the past, we used to cook with the help of two mouthed reformed stove made out of mud that needed the firewood which we used for both purposes: cooking for us and for buffalos. We used to collect the firewood from our dry land and the community forest. Our village was connected with electricity in 2061 B.S. which we could use only for light. Gradually, people began to buy rice cooker for rice but we still needed fire wood for cooking other items. The smoke affected the health, made the kitchen dirty and it made us more difficult to clean the black pots. Our family had expected to be free from this problem but we thought it was our dream only.

It was on 26 Kartik, 2077 I got an opportunity to observean exhibition program of electrical Stoves (Induction Stove) that was supported by Practical Action, Nepal, in collaboration with DCRDC, Baglung and in coordination of Community Electricity office, Fedikhola Rural Municipality. In the exhibition, we were instructed about the way to operate the stove. Furthermore, we were informed that they would provide us an electrical stove of G.C. Company along with a pressure cooker of three liter, a frying pan and a Karahi (a bowl-shaped frying pan with two handles used in Indian cooking) only in Rs.4500/-. I immediately ordered a set and within seven days, I received the goods. We are using them regularly.

The stove has made us quite easy which can be regulated with 300 to 2000 watts and time can be set while cooking. We are using the stove for all three meals of the day. The electricity fees has hiked from Rs.90 to about Rs.400 after using this stove but it is much more cheaper and comfortable than firewood and L.P gas. We are well satisfied with this stove as our kitchen and pots are clean and is portable, too. I would like to acknowledge Practical Action, Nepal and DCRDC, for providing us this opportunity.

Prepared by
Min Bahadur Thapa
District Coordinator (Syanja)