KMC intensifies monitoring to curb gas and fuel black market

BY A STAFF REPORTER,Kathmandu, Mar. 15: Kathmandu Metropolitan City has increased monitoring against those creating an artificial shortage of cooking gas and vehicle fuel and engaging in black market activities.

The metropolitan authority activated its monitoring after receiving complaints that some traders were refusing to sell cooking gas to customers despite having stock, spreading misinformation that gas was unavailable, charging higher prices by claiming that gas would soon run out, and turning consumers away from fuel depots even when petroleum products were in stock.

Mahesh Kafle, chief of the administration department at the metropolitan office, said action would be taken against those spreading false information about gas shortages and creating difficulties for the public and the market. He said the Nepal Oil Corporation had fixed the price of cooking gas at Rs 1,910 per cylinder and urged both traders and consumers to buy and sell gas at that rate.

Kafle also said that some consumers had been purchasing larger quantities of gas due to fears of a possible shortage. He warned that such hoarding could disrupt the balance between supply and demand.

According to the metropolitan office, it also received information that some petrol pumps were refusing to supply fuel to vehicles despite having adequate stock. Monitoring has also been intensified in this area.

The metropolitan office has urged the public to report any activities related to artificial shortages of gas or fuel. Complaints can be submitted with factual details through the metropolitan hotline numbers 1180 and 9851356509. It will carry out monitoring and take action based on the information received.

According to Gyaneshwor Aryal, president of the Gas Sellers Federation Nepal, gas supplies from India had so far remained regular. He said the perceived shortage had been caused mainly by increased demand and added that the situation would remain normal if consumers stopped stocking up more gas than their needs.