Cooking gas crisis: Govt starts selling firewood

Kathmandu, November 16. The government has started selling firewood to people in the Kathmandu Valley, who have been finding it hard to prepare their meals due to a grave shortage of cooking gas and kerosene resulting from the covert Indian blockade and the Madhesi Movement that has been going on for about three months.

The Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation started selling fuelwood from Timber Corporation of Nepal’s depots based in Balkumari and Pashupati from Sunday.

Members of the general public can buy up to 100 kg of fuelwood for Rs 15/kg, whereas organisations can buy up to 500 kg fuelwood for Rs 17/kg. The individuals will have to show citizenship and get a coupon before purchasing fuelwood.

TCN General Manager Birendra Kumar Yadav said Balkumari and Pashupati depots have distributed coupons to 400 and 150 individuals as of 10 am on Sunday.

Preparations are afoot to bring fuelwood from Nawalparasi as well, Yadav told Online Khabar. He said they have arranged fuelwood in a sustainable manner, keeping forest conservation in mind.