Govt. urged to ensure smooth supply of petroleum products; NOC urges all not to hoard cooking gas

Kathmandu / March 13: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the government to adopt all measures to ease the distribution of petroleum products.

A press statement issued today by the Under-Secretary of the Commission, Shyam Babu Kafle, asked the government to bring anyone found involved in creating artificial shortage under the ambit of law, to regulate the tendency of making unnecessary storage of such products as well as to protect consumers’ right by making immediate arrangement of supply of essential goods.

The Commission visited and monitored the Nepal Oil Corporation, Department of Commerce, Nepal Food Management Company Limited as well as gas depots.

“According to the monitoring and observation, Nepal mainly depends on imports for the supply of petroleum products, and the raw materials to be imported are being supplied regularly as before,” the statement said.

Although there has been some shortage in supply due to the issue of transportation management of some gas companies, the message circulated in various media that there is a problem in the overall management of gas supply has led consumers to store more than necessary and there is information that some businessmen have created artificial shortages, the NHRC stated.

The Commission has drawn attention to news, published and broadcast in the media, stating that there has been a shortage of LP gas in the Kathmandu Valley for some time, creating concern and fear among consumers due to the situation arising in the Middle East and the subsequent tension there.

NOC urges all not to hoard cooking gas as supply is regular

At a time when the consumers have been worried over supply of essential fuel, cooking gas, the regulatory body has made it clear that the supply was regular.

The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has urged consumers not to hoard cooking gas (LPG cylinders), stating that the import of the essential fuel is continuing as usual.

NOC’s Spokesperson Manoj Thakur clarified that the cooking gas is being imported in the regular volume. Spokesperson Thakur asserted, “Nepal’s monthly demand for LPG stands at around 45,000 metric tonnes to 46,000 metric tonnes and imports are being maintained at the same volume.”

As of March 10, total 45,500 metric tonnes of cooking gas have already been supplied into the country. Appealing to the consumers not to take risks by unnecessarily storing cylinders at home, Thakur, however, reminded them to report any irregularities, if any, in the market.

He added that the NOC had been issuing instructions to the concerned agencies to ensure smooth sales and distribution of the cooking gas across the country.

Amid a recent surge in consumer demand triggered by developments in West Asian countries, the regulating body has asked gas industries/companies to supply half-filled cylinders to facilitate distribution.

Accordingly, gas companies have begun sending cylinders weighing 7.1 kg of gas to the market starting today (Friday). RSS