KATHAMANDU, Jan 25:Defying government's call to continue distribution of half-filled liquefied petroleum (LP) gas cylinders until supply becomes normal, gas bottlers are distributing full cylinders from Monday.
Nepal LP Gas Industry Association on Sunday issued a circular to its members to distribute full cylinders (14.2 kg) from Monday onwards.
Commenting on the development, Bishnu Lamsal, secretary at the Ministry of Supplies, said the government has repeatedly told bottlers to distribute half-filled cylinders as the supply is yet to normalize.“"Monitoring agencies of the government will take needful against those defying the government's direction”" added Lamsal.
LP gas bottlers have been distributing half-filled cylinders (7.1 kg) since October 30 after supply of the popular cooking fuel dwindled due to Tarai unrest and Indian blockade.
Shiva Ghimire, president, Nepal LP Gas Industry Association said the decision won't be withdrawn.“"We are facing loss as our cost of production for both full and half-filled cylinders is same”" he said, adding,“"We can't continue to suffer loss anymore”"
Bottlers get Rs 27 per cylinder for local transportation and Rs 32 per cylinder as production cost. “
"Our profit has contracted after the government asked us distributed half-filled cylinder”," argued Ghimire.
Mukunda Ghimire, spokesperson of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), said they have not allowed bottlers to distribute full cylinders.
Government officials fear distribution of full cylinders might create shortage of cooking fuel in the market.
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