LPG shortage hits Kathmandu valley again

KATHMANDU – Shortage of LP gas has been seen in Kathmandu valley after gas entrepreneurs closed the clearance of Indian tankers, arriving at the customs point of Nepal, carrying LP gas from India since Wednesday.


This has left people of the valley more worried, who have faced gas shortage for a long time,  that they would not get gas and are facing more problems from the agitation of gas entrepreneurs.


Some of the consumers have started to visit the gas companies and depots for cooking gas.


Sunita Bhatta of Mid-Baneshwor asks what she could do, as there is shortage of gas from earlier, so she had gone to a depot for searching gas as she was worried that she would not get gas due to the agitation of entrepreneurs, but she could not get one.


LP Gas Industry Association closed clearance of gas tankers from Wednesday saying the government did not fulfill its 16-point demands.


The Association has launched phase-wise agitations from August 7.


Acting Chairman of the Association, Shiva Prasad Ghimire, said that they were compelled to launch agitations as the government neglected the 16-point demands submitted to the government by the Association on July 30.


Ghimire also warned of stopping selling of gas across the nation from August 15 if the government does not start positive initiatives on their demands.


The Association launched agitations demanding scrapping of the government’s latest decision of making separate colours of gas cylinders, used for business and household purpose, to provide subsidy to entrepreneurs, among others.


Whereas, General Secretary of the Gas Dealers’ Federation, Maheshwor Shrestha, said that it was not suitable to launch agitation only for the benefit of the entrepreneurs, and stressed on becoming sensitive towards the rights of the people.


Around 15,000 metric tonnes of gas cylinders are being consumed in the valley every month while 18,000 metric tonnes of gas is being consumed every month in winter season, the Federation said.


Bodies concerned and the Association are yet to reach to a consensus though talks were held frequently between them regarding the agitation. RSS