Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Gauri Kumari has attributed the current shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Kathmandu Valley to non-cooperation by LPG bottlers.
Speaking at a meeting of the Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumer Welfare Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Minister Kumari said the government was unable to resolve the shortage because all 58 gas bottlers are from the private sector. “There won’t have been any shortage had each of the 58 industries sent 3,000 cylinders to Kathmandu Valley every day as requested by the government,” she said. “But the bottlers refused our request.”
Minister Kumari claimed that of the 45,000 cylinders reportedly dispatched for Kathmandu on Monday and another 48,000 on Tuesday, only 19,000–20,000 had reached the market. “The government has not been able to determine where the remaining cylinders went,” she added.
She also said the industrialists had refused to provide details of LPG distribution. “The government has been left helpless,” she added.
Minister Kumari said the government must establish its own LPG bottling unit under Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to break the monopoly of private bottlers. “The country does not need more than two bottling industries. The remaining ones should be scrapped,” she said.
LPG, which was already in short supply due to global supply disruptions stemming from problems in the Strait of Hormuz, has become even scarcer in the market following the collapse of the Prithvi Highway at Krishnabhir in Dhading. The closure of the key artery linking Kathmandu to the rest of the country has disrupted the supply of LPG cylinders to the Valley, as large trucks carrying LPG are struggling to negotiate the narrow bends along the single-lane alternative routes designated by the government, say bottlers.
Commenting on sugar availability in the market, Minister Kumari said the cabinet has approved imports of 25,000 tons at 1% customs duty. “Supply arrangements are being made to make sure that the entire consignment is imported by the first week of October,” she added.
