Families in the heart of China’s coal belt are secretly burning tree branches and coal gangue to keep warm this winter, after a government campaign to install gas heating failed to meet deadlines.
The high price of natural gas and supply shortages have added to their sadness, making it impractical for rural families and businesses to switch to the cleaner fuel.
“The gas heating system is better to keep us warm, but it’s just too expensive,” said Zhang Yue, a villager in Linfen, Shanxi Province. The newly-installed gas heating system in her home was left to idle, while the family sat around a stove burning tree branches. The 63-year old also said she doesn’t cook on her new gas stove. The system would cost her family 120 yuan per day and 14,000 yuan for the whole winter, said Zhang. That’s nearly five times more than what the family spent on coal in previous winters. Zhang’s family of five lives on a monthly income of about 4,000 yuan.
Residents in neighboring Nanma village who were ordered to switch to an electric heating system, were also struggling with the cost bills. Villager Liang Ruxin said it would cost his family about 70 yuan per night for keep the electric heating on. “This is on top of the 4,280 yuan we’ve already paid in a one-off expense for the connection,” he said.
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