Nepal Police has started direct supervision of supply and distribution of cooking gas amid complaints that consumers have not been able to buy LPG cylinders despite improved imports.

Metropolitan Police Range, Hanumandhoka, said the initiative, launched last week, is aimed at addressing public grievances and preventing chaos and unruly scenes at depots.

Superintendent of Police Pradhumna Kumar Karki said they have formed a mechanism for the purpose and have asked gas bottlers to provide supply records and lists of depots to which they supply refilled cylinders on a daily basis. “Based on the information, the depots concerned are monitored to make sure they distribute cylinders in a transparent manner,” he said.

Nepal Oil Corporation’s (NOC) record shows it has been importing adequate quantity of cooking gas after the lifting of border restrictions on February 5. But people are still struggling to get cylinders.

NOC Spokesperson Mukunda Ghimire said the imports stand at 60 bullets daily on an average. On Friday alone, 83 bullets entered Nepal. “Indian Oil Corporation has also pledged to increase the supply,” he said.

Meanwhile, the police have intensified inspection of gas depots to curb black marketeering. SP Karki said they have arrested a number of gas dealers for their involvement in hoarding and black marketeering over the past week.

According to the Nepal Police, a monitoring team on Thursday confiscated 196 cylinders from Pokhrel Store and a warehouse based in Dharapati, Maharajgunj.

Pokhrel Store’s proprietor Teknath Pokhrel and the warehouse’s owner Narayan Gurung were found selling cooking gas at Rs1,600 per cylinder, against the market price of Rs1,400.

On Friday, the police arrested Bharat Karki, proprietor of Daju Bhai Catering based at Kushle Chaur on charge of hoarding cylinders. Karki was found storing 35 cylinders of Himal Gas.

Bhaktapur Police also arrested Krishna Lal Dangol, proprietor of Batta Suppliers in Lokanthali, on Friday who was found selling cylinders at Rs4,200.