Click image to zoom

Nepal Rations LPG Cylinders To Manage Demand Surge As War In East Asia Enters Second Week

Nepali consumers wait in queue for their turn to take the half-filled gas cylinder at the Nepal Oil Corporation depot in Kathmandu, Nepal, on March 13, 2026, due to a shortage of cooking gas caused by the ongoing war between Israel and Iran. The state monopoly, Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), starts rationing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or cooking gas to manage the demand surge as the war in East Asia enters its second week, halting the supply. Following orders from NOC, bottling plants start selling half-filled cylinders to customers, forcing people to stand in long lines for hours. According to the new provision, applicable to both household and hotel and restaurant users, a 7.1-kilogram cylinder, half the usual size, is distributed. The state monopoly claims that the move aims to conserve energy even though imports are not affected. A 7.1-kg cylinder of cooking gas costs NRs 955. The decision by the Nepal Oil Corporation comes after an interval of 5 years. NOC adopted similar measures during previous crises in 2015 and 2020 when the country suffered acute shortages of cooking gas. The fuel monopoly says supplies from India remain normal, but panic buying is increasing in the Kathmandu Valley. Queues at cooking gas depots grow after local groceries are unable to supply the fuel across the valley, following rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, a key fuel-supplying region for global markets. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto)

Photo Details

Photo ID	#13441549
Date Taken	13 March 2026
Location	N/A
Photographer	Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto
Category	Human Interest
Copyright	© 2026 NurPhoto - Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto

Related Keywords

Small Group of People Nepali consumers queue gas cylinder Nepal Oil Corporation Kathmandu shortage cooking gas Israel Iran war East Asia Liquefied Petroleum Gas LPG rationing demand surge bottling plants half-filled cylinders serpentine lines household users hotel users restaurant users 7.1 Kilogram energy conservation imports NRs 955 decision interval crises 2015 2020 acute shortages fuel monopoly supplies India panic buying Kathmandu Valley local groceries geopolitical tensions Middle East fuel-supplying region global markets Subaas Shrestha NurPhoto.

License This Photo

Digital Basic Editorial use on digital platforms only (websites, social media). Single use, up to 1 million monthly UVs. Worldwide distribution. NO COMMERCIAL OR PROMOTIONAL USE

€35.00

Editorial Print & Digital For editorial use in print and digital publications such as newspapers, magazines, and textbooks. Single use, up to 10,000 copies or 1 million UVs. Worldwide distribution. NO COMMERCIAL OR PROMOTIONAL USE

€99.00

Broadcast (TV & Digital) For editorial use in TV production or streaming platforms. Single use, all media rights excluding theatrical, with worldwide distribution in perpetuity. NO COMMERCIAL OR PROMOTIONAL USE

€399.00

Total Price

€35.00

Secure checkout

Need a custom license?

Contact Sales

[email protected]
+39 0862 1956328