Kathmandu, November 15

The Timber Corporation of Nepal under the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation has started selling firewood to fuel-starved consumers in the capital.

Birendra Kumar Yadav, TCN general manager, told The Himalayan Times that firewood is being sold from Pashupati Sales Depot and Balkumari Sales Depot. “We sold firewood to 200 families and organisations from Pashupati Sales Depot and to 400 families and organisations from Balkumari Sales Depot.

We will continue selling firewood until fuel supply is eased,” he informed.

TCN officials sold firewood to families and organisations on the basis of coupons handed to them amid tight security from around 10 am. TCN is distributing up to 100 kg per family and 500 kg per organisation.

It has been mandatory for the families to produce a copy of citizenship certificate and organisations to submit a copy of their registration certificate in order to avoid duplication. Yadav said TCN has 106,170 kg of firewood in stock as of today.

Long queues of people could be seen at sales depots to buy firewood. The firewood sold to consumers needs to be chopped for use.

Jay Krishna Thapa of mid-Baneshwor, who bought 100 kg of firewood from Pashupati Sales Depot, said he had to buy an axe and also hire a woodcutter to chop firewood. “If the government cannot provide us fuel, it should distribute ready-to-use firewood,” he said.