By Laxman Kafle

Kathmandu, Mar. 22: Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) is making arrangements to distribute gas to the needy consumers by opening separate outlets of gas bottling plants in the Kathmandu Valley.
“We will begin the distribution of cooking gas to the needy consumers through special outlets of the gas industries inside the Kathmandu Valley from Sunday afternoon. For this, NOC has asked all gas bottling plants to open at least one special outlet in the Valley,” said Surendra Paudel, managing director of NOC.
The meeting held between representatives of LP Gas Industry Association and NOC has decided to distribute cooking gas to the needy people of the valley who are unable to get gas from the nearby venders.
According to him, they are planning to sell at least 3,000 gas cylinders through such special outlets daily. But the quantity may increase if the flow of consumers is high.
Responding to a query how they would identify the needy consumers, Paudel said that no consumer who already has cooking gas at home was likely to visit the special outlet for gas with an intention to hoard it.
President of LP Gas Industry Association Gokul Bhandari assured that Kathmandu-centric gas bottling plants would start gas distribution through special outlets targeting the needy people from Sunday.
Out of total 58 gas industries, only 27 - including Nepal, Himal, Sagar, Shree, Baba, Om, Everest - are supplying gas in the Kathmandu Valley.
The daily demand for cooking gas across the country stands at 100,000 cylinders with around 50 per cent consumed in Kathmandu. There are about 12.3 million gas cylinders in the market.
As per the NOC decision, the gas industries would manage the distribution system by opening at least one outlet, he said, adding that they would open more than one outlet based on the demand for their brand.
The industries would open outlets in different parts of the valley which is expected to help the consumers to get gas visiting the nearest outlet.
The government has already directed the gas dealers and the industries to exchange any brand of cooking gas to support the government and the consumers during the time of short supply.
Call centre at NOC
A help desk has been established at NOC to hear the problems of the consumers.
The meeting held Saturday among the NOC, LP Gas Industry Association and gas dealers had decided to start the help desk at the NOC to address the grievances of the consumers who are unable to get gas in the market, said Paudel.
“We are planning to begin the health desk from Sunday and have requested Nepal Telecom for providing a number for the purpose,” he said.