Even as the government hiked the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) some time ago, the supply of cooking gas continues to be in short supply throughout the country. While the daily consumption of LPG gas is 300 tonnes per month the current import stands at 150 tonnes a day, which is only 50 per cent of the actual requirement. The consumption is likely to rise in the coming days because of the winter and the beginning of the wedding season. Despite this, the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and the government do not seem to have treated the matter with the urgency it demands, though the common people are facing hardship even after the sharp price increase. Dealers have conceded that while the short supply of cooking gas has made no real difference to commercial consumers, it is only the commoners who have been hit hard.

NOC has been unable to pay the oil bills on time in recent months; as a result, its dues to the Indian Oil Corporation have accumulated. However, it is surprising that the government, despite the hike in the prices of petroleum products, has not been able to ensure a steady supply of cooking gas in the market. This has given the public the impression that it has neither vision nor sensitivity. It was said that the supply had been disrupted because of the huge losses incurred in selling the petroleum products. Then the prices were sharply raised. What excuses can the government and NOC make now? It is their duty to resolve the rest of the problems.