Administration Sets Up Hotline as Public Struggles to Buy Cooking Gas in Kathmandu

The District Administration Office in Kathmandu has directed cooking gas sellers and distributors to immediately sell their stock to consumers upon receipt, following growing complaints that households are unable to easily buy gas despite steady incoming supplies.

Authorities stated that intense monitoring is currently taking place across the district to prevent unfair practices. Officials warned that strict legal action will be taken against anyone charging more than the government set price or engaging in hoarding and hiding cylinders. To ensure fair distribution, the administration has urged the public to immediately report any cases of hidden stock or illegal storage to the District Administration Office's designated information officer at 9851338322

The Kathmandu Valley has recently been facing severe cooking gas shortages due to main highway disruptions caused by severe rain and landslides, forcing gas carrying vehicle to take alternative routes or undergo refilling in the Tarai region. Although overall supply volumes have slowly recovered, artificial shortages persist because of panic buying, distribution bottlenecks, and widespread reports of black market price hikes by unethical traders. DAO also fined some of the gas dealers for stocking gas cylinders instead of distributing to the public.