Coimbatore: ‘Idli paati’ petitions Collector to restore free LPG supply

COIMBATORE: For more than three decades, 90-year-old Kamalathal, fondly called ‘idli paatti’ in Coimbatore, has been selling idli for just Rs One.

But the stoppage of the free LPG cylinder supply she had been receiving for years has now made it difficult for her to keep her humble kitchen running.

A resident of Vadivelampalayam near Thondamuthur, Kamalathal has been selling idlis for Rs one for nearly 30 years. She began her business using a firewood stove and switched to LPG cooking around 10 years ago.

Despite rising prices and the increasing cost of cooking, she has continued to sell the idlis at the same price. Her service has won her the affection and support of people from different sections of society, with several individuals helping her with assistance.

For the past several years, she was given free LPG cylinders by a gas company. However, the supply was stopped two months ago, leaving Kamalathal struggling to continue her service. Seeking help, she visited the Coimbatore Collectorate on Monday and submitted a petition to the district administration, requesting that the free LPG supply be restored.

“I was being provided LPG cylinders free of cost, but I do not know why the supply was stopped. I have come to submit a petition requesting that the cylinder be provided again,” she said.