NOC to distribute LPG today

KATHMANDU, Oct 12 - In a hope that they would get to buy cooking gas, consumers have been queuing up outside the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) central office at Babarmahal in the capital since Sunday morning.The NOC has announced to start distributing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) from 2 today afternoon ...

In the wake of rampant black marketing of cooking gas and complaints from consumers about difficulties buying cooking gas from the dealers, the NOC decided to distribute the gas itself.  According to the NOC, the effort is to relieve the consumers from artificial shortage.

On the other hand, gas dealers have said that the shortage is the result of insufficient supply by the NOC, the nodal body of the government that has monopoly on petroleum products supply and distribution. The NOC’s decision to get into selling gas to consumers directly is impracticable, they said.

The dealers said that the NOC is not supplying sufficient gas and blaming the dealers instead of monitoring the market. Further, they accused the NOC of trying to obscure its faults and ineptness.

Moreover, Gyaneshwor Aryal, the president of Gas Dealers Association of Nepal (GDAN) said that said that the Supplies Minister’s unfeasible decision is the root of the shortage.

“Gas dealers are scheduled to discuss the solution with the NOC this afternoon,” he informed.