Lack of empty cylinders causes LPG supply problem in Dhading

DHADING: Gas industries in Dhading district are struggling to supply the available Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stored in bullet tankers due to lack of empty gas cylinders.

After locals started to stockpile LPG cylinders amid fears of coronavirus infection and the ongoing lockdown, local gas industries have not been able to send the available gas into the market.

Gas bullet tankers -- carrying LPG from India -- await empty gas cylinders to be filled and sent out into the market. With people keeping extra unused cylinders in their stock, the gas companies have been unable to utilise the LPG stored in tankers.

According to Milan Karki, Manager of Shri Ram Gas Industry, Thakre, the company has run out of gas cylinders in the market due to panic buying. "There are a total of thirteen gas industries operating in Dhading district. After consumers failed to return empty cylinders, as many as 68 bullet tankers lie stranded in the district," added Karki.

Due to the cylinder unavailability, we are not able to sell the amount of gas we should be selling as per standard quota, said gas company operators in the district. They further lamented that they are under double pressure as they also need to meet the supply requirement of Nepal Oil Corporation.

Most of the gas cylinders produced in the district are distributed in the capital and other neighbouring districts including Chitwan, Nuwakot, Gorkha and Rasuwa.

There are a total of nineteen gas industries operating along the highway from Kurintar in Chitwan to Naubise in Dhading.