Fuel crisis deepens in Nepal

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Residents of Sallaghari in Bhaktapur neighbouring Kathmandu did just that on Wednesday.

Updated on: Feb 3, 2012, 24:32:49 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Desperate times call for desperate measures. Residents of Sallaghari in Bhaktapur neighbouring Kathmandu did just that on Wednesday.

Angered at continuing scarcity of cooking gas, they intercepted five vehicles carrying LPG cylinders and distributed among themselves after paying for them and handing over empty containers.

Apart from daily power outage of 14 hours, Nepal is at present going through an acute fuel and cooking gas crisis. Wednesday’s incident was a reflection of the grim situation.

PM Baburam Bhattarai met petroleum and LPG dealers on Thursday. News reports say he has requested India to increase supplies to ease the problem.

“I have personally talked with Indian authorities for ending the crisis. Fuel supply related problems will end soon,” BP Chaudhary, minister for commerce and supplies quoted the PM as saying.

Nepal needs nearly 20,000 tonnes of cooking gas every month—the demand soars to 25,000 tonnes during winter. But last month Nepal Oil Corporation managed to import only 11,600 tonnes from India.

Indian Oil Corporation is the sole supplier of petrol products and cooking gas to Nepal Oil Corporation.

Hoarding by agencies and black marketing have also added to the problem. Hotels and businesses consume 40 pc of cooking gas and agencies sell cylinders to them at a premium at the cost of other consumers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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Fuel crisis deepens in Nepal

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Residents of Sallaghari in Bhak­tapur neighbouring Kath­m­andu did just that on Wednesday.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Residents of Sallaghari in Bhaktapur neighbouring Kathmandu did just that on Wednesday.