Yak dung as an alternative firewood in Olangchungola

By Chandra Pandak, Taplejung, Nov. 8: The residents of Olangchungola, a Himalayan settlement of Taplejung, have started using dried dung in replacement of the firewood.

With the onset of the cold weather, residents have collected yak dung and are using it as firewood by drying it up. 

The locals said that the collected dung is used as firewood to cook and to keep the house warm in the cold season. The locals of Olangchungola, a mountainous settlement bordering Tibet, an autonomous region of China, use cow dung as an alternative to firewood for heat in winter. 

A local resident, Tenzing Sherpa, said that to preserve firewood dung collected from pastureland and shed is dried off and used as firewood. The dung is dried up by sticking it in the walls and fence of the house. 

He said that all the locals of Olangchungola rear Yaks and collect dung from the shed and pastureland and dry them for firewood. 

Dawa Phuti Sherpa said that the dried dung keeps warm during winter therefore, they are used in winter. As the winter progresses, it is difficult to go outside, so to keep warm dried dung along with some firewood is used. 

Snowfall is observed every mid-winter in Olangchungola which is 3,200 meters in height from sea level.