Kathmandu. Preparations are underway to bring new LPG cylinders with the capacity of 450 kg in Nepal.

The Standards Council has already certified the gas cylinder weighing 450 kg to be brought to the market.

Although the government has certified the quality of 450 kg cylinders, there is a lack of necessary laws to fully implement them. Experts say that if implemented without the lack of laws, it will be difficult to monitor and regulate and security risks will increase.

Although the government has certified its quality, it is in a dilemma on how to implement it due to the lack of necessary laws. There is no safety standard for this. As of now, there is no law for the operation of the corporation. Currently, the corporation is operating as per the regulations of Nepal Oil Corporation Limited, 2027.

Currently, cylinders weighing 14.2 kg are being used for personal and commercial purposes. Preparations have been made to allow 450 kg cylinders instead of 14.2 for commercial purposes. There is a legal lack for that.

Consumer rights activist Madhav Timalsina said that 450 kg cylinders should not be operated without any law at a time when there is a question on the quality of the 14.2 kg cylinder in use.

“There is no safety standard for the use of gas cylinders in Nepal. If 450 kg cylinders are brought in now, it can cause big damage in the coming days. He said that the government should be more cautious on such sensitive issues.

He said that a methodology will be needed to measure the quality before implementing it. He said that although the government is importing 450 kg capacity cylinders for commercial purpose, it should be prepared legally and work procedure should be formulated for it.

He said that although the structures built in Nepal in recent times can be used for this purpose, it should also be clear what to do with the old ones. According to him, the industries in Nepal are located in the middle of the settlement and this will increase the security challenges.

Timilsana says that if 450 kg cylinders are to be used, then the Petroleum Act will be needed initially.

The Federation of Gas Dealers and others have been saying that the 14.2 kg capacity cylinders being used at present have questions about quality and safety standards.

Currently, only 14.2 kg cylinders are allowed by the LP Gas Regulations. Cylinders weighing 5 kg in hilly areas and 19 kg cylinders for commercial purposes have been approved. The 450 kg cylinder has not been recognised. There is no law to use it.

Manoj Kumar Thakur, spokesperson of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), said that the certification of 450 kg cylinders has been carried out. He said that it would be difficult to implement the law immediately as there is no necessary law at present. “It has not been decided who will use it and how. “There is no Explosives Act,” he said. In the absence of laws, monitoring is a challenge. The law is necessary. ’

Currently, 59 LPG industries are in operation in the country. About 1.75 crore cylinders are in operation across the country.