Supply Dept to deploy four monitoring teams

KATHMANDU, FEB 02 -

Department of Commerce and Supplies Management (DoCSM) is all set to mobilise four inspection teams in areas where gas bottlers will distribute cooking gas on Monday.

The DoCSM move comes after many consumers failed to get LPG cylinders during NOC’s distribution on Thursday and Saturday, despite the state-owned oil monopoly’s commitment to maintain smooth supply. “Our teams will monitor any possible anomalies in LPG distribution,” said DoCSM Director Hari Narayan Belbase.

He said the department would take clarification immediately from gas bottlers if they fail to supply gas to the depots. “We will also see if the depots sell excess cylinders to the commercial sector,” he said.

Under the direction of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), the gas plants will distribute liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from their depots in Maharajgunj, Budhanilkantha, Gongabu, Lazimpat, Durbarmarg, Baluwatar, Bishalnagar, Bhatbhateni and Dhumbarahi.

NOC Spokesperson Mukunda Ghimire said 25 bottling companies will distribute 15,000 LPG cylinders. “To address consumers’ complaints, we have set up a “control room” at NOC which can be contacted at 01-4262586,” he said.

Following its failure to distribute LPG from National Trading, NOC has arranged gas distribution through bottling plants’ depots in several places of the Kathmandu Valley for the last one week. However, consumers have been complaining that they have not been able to get the cylinders.

On Thursday, four LPG bottlers did not sell their products, and on Saturday, customers of eight bottlers had to return empty-handed.

Valley residents have been reeling under the LPG shortage for more than two months. The shortage, which started after Indian Oil Corporation’s Barauni refinery cut supply due to maintenance work, worsened further due to black-marketing and hoarding.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Central Supply Management Committee on Sunday directed NOC to increase its storage capacity of petrol and diesel, making it sufficient for 20 days from the existing five days. “We have asked the oil monopoly to avoid any possible shortage in the market,” said a member of the committee,

which is led by the commerce secretary. The committee also told NOC to make adequate LPG supply immediately.

The meeting also discussed expanding the roles of two government owned enterprises—National Trading and Salt Trading—for LPG shipment and selling during winter when the demand is high.

The possibility for coordinating with private and cooperative sectors to regulate the distribution of petroleum products was also discussed.