By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 25: Following the enforcement of nationwide lockdown, the fuel consumption has decreased sharply to 10 per cent of the total demand of the normal time.
The daily sales of petroleum products stood at 1,250 KL across the country at present which is around 10 per cent of the total sales of the normal period, Binitmani Upadhyay, Spokesperson of the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) told The Rising Nepal.
Currently, around 243 KL of petrol, 1,034 KL of diesel and 18 KL aviation fuel is being sold daily across the country.
The NOC sold 7,300 KL of petrol, 31,000 KL of diesel, 514 KL of aviation fuel and 35,000 tonnes of cooking gas during a month of lockdown.
Everyday consumption of petrol across the country used to stand at 3,000 KL and diesel at 7,000 KL during the normal period.
The demand of fuel in the urban areas, including the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara, is comparatively high as the movements of vehicles of essential goods and medicines are high in those areas.
“Drop of fuel consumption is natural during the lockdown as only the vehicles carrying essential goods are allowed to ply on the roads,” he said.
About 44,800 KL fossil fuel imported during lockdown
Upadhyay said that there was no obstruction in the import of fuel, including cooking gas from India.
The NOC imported 7,800 KL of petrol, 37,000 KL of diesel and 244 KL aviation fuel in a month after the enforcement of lockdown, he said. Similarly, about 35,000 tonnes of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) was imported from India during the period.
The stock of fuel at the depots has been increasing due to the reduction in its demand as the NOC has been importing fuel more than the daily demand from the IOC, he said. “We are increasing the storage of fuel.”
“The stock of petroleum products reaches around 85 per cent of total fuel storage capacity. The storage capacity for petrol stands at 7,700 KL, for diesel at 40,000 KL and for aviation at 7,250 KL,” he said.
Talking about the situation of cooking gas, he said that the supply of cooking gas had been normal across the country.
The NOC has managed a system to distribute around 40,000 to 45,000 gas cylinders in the Kathmandu valley per day, he said.
“The NOC is also providing home delivery services of cooking gas for those who are differently able. Besides, the NOC is also addressing the problem of people who are unable to get gas from the dealers,” he said.