Nepal implements emergency LPG bottling to counter supply disruptions

The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has issued emergency directives to allow Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) bottling plants to refill and supply cooking gas using cylinders from any available brand. This measure aims to stabilize the supply in the Kathmandu Valley following structural blockages on the Prithvi Highway caused by a landslide at Krishnabhir.

Under the new protocol, regional bottling units will process gas bullets into third-party cylinders. Specific mandates include directing Sahara Gas Industry in Hetauda to bottle gas into Everest and Sugam brand cylinders. Other companies, such as Nepal Gas and Sagar Gas, have also initiated cross-brand refilling operations at their facilities in Chitwan, Dhanusha, and Nawalparasi.

To facilitate transport, the government and transport entrepreneurs have agreed to use alternative routes. Approximately 150 to 200 trucks have been mobilized to transport LPG, with Hetauda designated as the primary base point. A fixed transportation rate of Rs 80,000 per 15-tonne truck has been established for the round trip of empty and filled cylinders. The NOC has specified that individual bottling companies must assume full responsibility for safety, quality checks, and additional operational costs associated with processing non-proprietary cylinders.