Kathmandu, February 13:

The shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in the market has hit consumers hard. Even after waiting for a month, the consumers do not get a chance to have their cylinders refilled.

Thanks to the shortage of LPG, many people are compelled to cook their food with firewood or saw-dust.

Mitthu Dulal of Jorpati said her gas cylinders emptied a month ago. Her empty cylinders are in queue at two gas depots, waiting to be refilled. “With saw-dust and firewood, I am managing to prepare meals twice a day,” she said, adding she is unable to prepare afternoon meal due to lack of fuel.

Kerosene is not available, supply of electricity is irratic, LPG is in short supply and the price of firewood has doubled, Dulal said. “Earlier, one kilogramme of firewood used to cost Rs 5. These days, it costs Rs 10.”

No different is the plight of Sanjaya Thapa. I have survived without gas for around two months, he said, adding, “It is difficult to light firewood. I eat food cooked the previous night and go to the office.”

Gas has been scarce for months and the consumers have the tendency of stocking up when a crisis develops, said Maheshwor Ghimire, secretary of the Gas Dealers’ Association of Nepal. “People with influence stock up four to five cylinders without waiting in queue,” he said, adding that gas distributors are finding it difficult to deal with agitated

consumers.

Meanwhile, importers of petroleum products said the crisis is unlikely to ease anytime soon. Sanwar Mal Agrawal, president of the LP Gas Association, said the smooth supply of LPG is impossible unless the situation in the Tarai improves. There is a demand for 10,500 metric tons (740,000 cylinders) of gas a month during normal days in the country and the Valley requires 70 per cent of this.

Agrawal said 75,000 to 80,000 LPG-filled cylinders were imported in the last two days. The import has been blocked again. These cylinders will be distributed in two days. Over 40 LPG-filled tankers are stranded due to the Tarai turmoil, he said.