Kathmandu. From now on, only half a cylinder of cooking gas will be available. A meeting of the Board of Directors of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) held on Thursday decided to distribute only half a cylinder of LPG, said Executive Director Chandika Prasad Bhatta.

The corporation has decided to supply half of the gas cylinders to the market after consumers started storing gas cylinders in excess of the requirement. Shortages of gas in the market over the past two months and fears of escalating conflict in the Middle East have also contributed to the growing trend of stockpiling gas.

The NOC has been buying LPG from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). However, the supply of cooking gas from India has stopped coming as per the demand. On an average, 120 bullets of cooking gas are required daily in Nepal. Around 80 bullets are receiving the bullets every day.

Earlier, the government had distributed half a cylinder of cooking gas during the blockade imposed by India in 2072.