KATHMANDU: Impasse prevailed as Nepal Liquefied Potential Gas Industries’ Association (NLPGIA) and Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) failed to reach an agreement on the demands of the former to increase the transportation cost of LPG cylinders and grant the LPG industry the authority to give license to new units willing to initiate services in the market. NLPGIA has also refused to budge from its stance of not returning deposit charge to consumers.

Gas Dealers’ Federation of Nepal (GDFN) president Gyaneshwor Aryal said whatever NLPGIA is demanding is against consumer rights.

Halting distribution of Liquefied Potential Gas (LPG) cylinders in the market, it is trying to create a shortage in the market and charge high prices. “NLPGIA is trying to create an artificial shortage of LPG in the market,” said Aryal.

Industrialists must be service-oriented, he said adding consumer satisfaction should be the main aim rather than profit making.

Meanwhile, Forum for Consumer Protection Rights secretary Ramchandra Simkhada

said that the memorandum submitted by NLPGIA was against consumer rights. “NLGIA is trying to violate consumer rights,” added Simkhada.

“It’s all because Nepal Oil Corporation didn’t maintain transparency and that is a

major reason for the present situation. The LPG industries are only resellers here. They do not have right to grant license to any gas unit willing to get initiated here,” he said.

He added that NOC should only fulfil the justified demand and if NLPGIA members do not agree it should take action against them and scrap their license under the Essential Service Act.

“LPG industries have started hiding cylinders. They are trying to create an artificial shortage and get their demands addressed,” Simkhada said.

The association has been demanding to increase transportation cost while importing LPG cylinders, authorise the LPG industries association to permit license giving right to start new industries and halt Nepal Oil Corporation’s effort to make a storage tank.