Petroleum consumption up 15pc

KATHMANDU, July 21: Despite frequent short supply and rising environmental concerns, Nepalis in 2008/09 consumed an average of 2,301 kiloliters of fossil fuel per day, which was 15 percent more than the year before. [break]



The growth figure suggests the country looks dirty in terms of energy it relies on, but given the protracted load-shedding that hit households and industries alike, officials said people were left with no other choice.



Irrespective of what may be the cause, total national consumption of petroleum products stood at 839,904 KL in 2008/09, shows NOC statistics.



And this rise has been triggered mainly by 54 percent growth the country recorded in consumption of diesel. Consumption of diesel stood at 463,140 KL, which made up more than half of total fossil fuel the country consumed.



Because the demand for diesel is positively correlated with the industrial activities, its growth should have been encouraging sign. However, that was not the case this year, said an official, as some 200 KL of diesel a day was guzzled by the power generators alone. And net output by manufacturing sector decreased by 0.5 percent. Amid sharp growth in the number of motorcycles and four-wheelers; consumption of petrol also grew by more than 22 percent over the year, according to NOC. It touched 123,782 KL in 2008/09. Consumption of petrol in Kathmandu Valley alone soared to 300 KL a day.



Surprisingly, consumption of kerosene -- tagged as poor man´s fuel -- dropped by half over the year and fell to 69,944 KL during the year.



NOC officials attributed the drop in kerosene consumption to the recent policy decision of the government to fix its price same as diesel´s.



“That directly stopped previous practice of mixing kerosene in diesel,” said Mukunda Dhungel, NOC spokesperson. Officials also said inflow of subsidized kerosene from India along the bordering towns also dragged down its consumption from NOC´s dealers.



Despite the rise in the number of international as well as domestic flights, consumption of aviation fuel did not record major change during the year. It stood at 68,912 KL for the year.



Consumption of liquefied petroleum gas, on the other hand, increased by 15 percent, indicating rising urbanization and migration of people to Kathmandu, the capital city, amid deteriorating law and order situation outside the Valley.



Nepalis consumed 7,857,527 cylinders (14.2 kgs) of LPG during the year, shows NOC data.

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