Nepal Oil Corporation Opens Temporary Depot in Teku to Address Cooking Gas Shortage

Kathmandu. In view of the shortage of cooking gas in the market, the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has started regular gas sales by operating a temporary depot at its old office in Teku, Kathmandu.

The corporation has also stated that it has significantly increased gas imports. The NOC began selling gas from Teku on Wednesday, targeting consumers of Nepal Gas, Everest Gas, and Sugam Gas, which are experiencing high demand in the market.

Consumers can exchange their empty cylinders for filled ones of these three brands at the Teku depot during office hours. According to NOC Spokesperson Manoj Thakur, 996 cylinders of Nepal Gas, Everest Gas, and Sugam Gas have been sold since the Teku depot began operations. On Wednesday, the first day the depot opened, 65 cylinders were sold, followed by 391 on Thursday, 400 on Friday, and 140 on Sunday.

Spokesperson Thakur stated that gas sales from the Teku depot will continue regularly until the supply in the market becomes completely smooth. He said, "The gas supply has eased now. The demand for Nepal Gas, Everest Gas, and Sugam Gas, which had high demand, is gradually stabilizing."

He informed that discussions are underway regarding which other gas brands need to be sold from Teku, as complaints have also been received concerning other gas brands.

To further ease the supply, the NOC has also increased gas imports. Spokesperson Thakur stated that while an average of 90 bullets of gas were being imported daily previously, the current average import is now over 130 bullets daily.

Industrialists are procuring gas from the Barauni, Durgapur, Paradip, Mathura, and Haldia refineries of the Indian Oil Corporation. The NOC has reported that imports have become smoother as the Barauni Refinery, which was shut down a month ago, is now operating regularly.