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Nepal Rations Cooking Gas Amid West Asia Conflict, Sparking Long Queues

Nepal Oil Corporation has begun rationing half-filled LPG cylinders to manage a demand surge linked to the conflict in West Asia, leading to hours-long queues at depots. The state monopoly claims the move is for energy conservation, though imports from India remain unaffected. This is the first such rationing in five years, with similar measures taken during previous crises in 2015 and 2020. With nearly 45,000 tonnes of LPG consumed monthly, panic buying has gripped the Kathmandu Valley, where over two-thirds of households rely on cooking gas.

Key Points: Nepal Rations LPG Cylinders Amid West Asia Conflict

  • Half-filled 7.1-kg cylinders distributed
  • Panic buying surges in Kathmandu Valley
  • Supplies from India remain normal
  • NOC aims to conserve energy
3 min read

Nepal rations LPG cylinders to manage demand surge amid conflict in West Asia

Nepal Oil Corporation rations half-filled LPG cylinders as conflict in West Asia sparks panic buying and long queues in Kathmandu.

"It's not easy to get the gas. It is really hard to get the refilled ones. - Prem Krishna Shahi"

Kathmandu, March 13

The state monopoly Nepal Oil Corporation from Friday has started rationing the Liquefied Petroleum Gas or the cooking gas to manage demand surge as the conflict in West Asia completed its second week, halting the supply.

Following the orders from NOC, bottling plants have started to sell half-filled cylinders to customers, forcing people to stand in serpentine lines for hours.

"It's not easy to get the (Liquefied Petroleum) gas. It is really hard to get the refilled ones. I came here (at the depot) at 10 in the morning and till now it has been about four hours, I haven't got hold of a single filled cylinder. It's uncertain whether I will get the gas or not," Prem Krishna Shahi, a Nepali consumer, told ANI as he waited for the half-filled cylinder at a depot in Kathmandu.

As per the new provision, applicable for both household and hotel and restaurant users a 7.1 Kilogram- half than the usual one is being distributed. The state monopoly has claimed that the move is "aimed at conserving energy even though imports have not been affected."

A 7.1-kg cylinder of cooking gas will cost NRs 955.

The decision of the Nepal Oil Corporation comes after an interval of 5 years. NOC had adopted similar measures during previous crises in 2015 and 2020, when the country suffered acute shortages of cooking gas.

The state monopoly said supplies from India remain normal, but panic buying has been increasing in the Kathmandu Valley.

Queues at cooking gas depots have been growing after local groceries were unable to supply the fuel across the valley, following rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, a key fuel-supplying region for global markets.

"It has been a daunting task to get the (Liquefied Petroleum) Gas. I have been in line for the gas for three hours and I am still waiting. I hope I can get a cylinder, that too only half- the-cylinder," another consumer, Ram Sharan Khadka, told ANI.

"It is hard to sustain without it, I am using the firewood as an alternative as well but still it is hard to get at this point of time, at the time of crisis. I have been managing many of my chores using the woods," Khadka added.

Nepal's LPG demand currently stands at around 45,000-46,000 tonnes per month, and the NOC says a similar quantity has been arriving. Among the country's 6.66 million households, 51 per cent use firewood while 44.3 per cent rely on LPG for cooking.

Bagmati Province, which includes the Kathmandu Valley and has 1.56 million households, leads in LPG consumption, with 69.8 per cent of families using it for cooking, according to the census report.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So sad to see our Nepali brothers and sisters going through this. The article says supplies from India are normal, but panic buying is causing the issue. This is a lesson for all of us – hoarding during a crisis only makes things worse for everyone. Hope the situation stabilizes soon. 🙏
A
Aman W
NRs 955 for a 7.1 kg cylinder? That's quite expensive for the average Nepali household. While rationing might be necessary, the government should also look at price control. This crisis highlights the need for the entire South Asian region to diversify its energy sources and reduce dependency on the Middle East.
S
Sarah B
It's concerning that over 50% of households in Nepal still use firewood. While LPG is cleaner, this crisis forces people back to older, more polluting methods. There's a real opportunity here for promoting renewable energy solutions like biogas or solar cookers, especially in rural areas.
V
Vikram M
The state monopoly NOC says this is to "conserve energy" but it feels like poor planning. If imports are normal, why such a severe rationing? It creates unnecessary panic. The administration should have better communication and a transparent distribution system to avoid these serpentine queues. Janta suffers due to mismanagement.
K
Kavya N
My heart goes out to the people, especially the women who manage the kitchen. Cooking with firewood is so time-consuming and unhealthy. This is a wake-up call for India too. We are not immune to such shocks. We must invest in our strategic reserves and support our neighbours in times of need. #VasudhaivaKutumbakam

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