Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 16:

The supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is still inadequate in the Valley, according to gas dealers. The consumers have to wait for two to three days to get their cylinders refilled.

However, the people don’t have to stay in a queue to get the job done. “We have started distributing coupons. The coupon-holders will be given refilled cylinders on first-come-first-serve basis,” said Narabhupal Maharjan, the owner of a gas depot in Old Baneshwor.

According to him, gas companies are supplying a limited number of refilled cylinders. They provide us with 20-40 gas cylinders everyday. “The number is not adequate to meet the demand of customers,” he added.

According to the Gas Suppliers’ Association (GSA), four LPG companies have stopped providing refilled cylinders. Although there are more than 1,000 gas supply depots in the Valley, all of them don’t have enough stock. Therefore, they are finding it hard to cater to the needs of the consumers, said the GSA.

It, however, blamed the gas companies for not producing the LPG in the required quantity. There are 20 LPG producing companies throughout the country out of which four are located in the capital.

Meanwhile, a team from the Ward Police Office in Bouddha arrested four persons with 53 stolen gas cylinders yesterday. Those arrested have been identified as Umesh Pradhan, 23, Deepak Shrestha, 28, Kiran Lama, 26, and Padam Bahadur Tamang, 32. Police said that they are taxi drivers and are involved in stealing gas cylinders at night.

The Kathmandu District Police Office, Hanumandhoka,today took permission to keep them in custody for a week before filing a case at the Kathmandu District Court.