Kathmandu, December 22

In a bid to ensure that customers of Super Gas do not face a crunch of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) after the company’s factory caught fire on Wednesday, Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) today said that Super Gas customers can refill their gas cylinders in nearby gas bottling companies of any other LPG brand.

Acting Deputy Managing Director of NOC Sushil Bhattarai informed that all gas bottling plants, basically located in Birgunj and nearby areas, have been directed to provide both exchange and refilling facility to customers of Super Gas.

Super Gas does not have a large share in domestic LPG industry and its market is limited to Birgunj and nearby districts. The state-owned fuel supplier has fixed 230 tonnes monthly quota of LPG for Super Gas, which means that the firm cannot purchase gas exceeding the given quota from Indian Oil Corporation — the sole supplier of LPG and other petroleum products to Nepal.

As per NOC, Super Gas can fill almost 25,000 LPG cylinders of 14.2 kg with 360 tonnes of gas. Out of the total LPG cylinders with gas companies, they are required to circulate 40 per cent of LPG cylinders in the market while the gas company and LPG dealers should have the remaining 40 per cent and 20 per cent of LPG cylinders, respectively, in their stock. As per calculations, Super Gas has 10,000 direct customers.

“Though Super Gas has comparatively fewer customers, we have arranged for optional exchange and refilling facility for its LPG cylinders to facilitate their customers,” added Bhattarai.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Supplies has already formed a high-level committee to study the cause behind blaze at Super Gas factory and carry a safety audit of the gas firm and 52 other gas companies operating in the country.