The holidays and some disruptions post lockdown are what caused the recent shortage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders in Thimphu. According to the Economic Affairs Ministry, the situation is temporary as the supply from India via Phuentshogling is as usual and uninterrupted.
On Saturday, the LPG Supply Centre at Motithang ran out of LPG cylinders as its trucks were stuck in a roadblock. The vehicles reached yesterday.
Moreover, after the lockdown, only two drivers are assigned for transporting the cylinders between Rinchendhing in Phuentshogling and Thimphu. The remaining five drivers are stationed at Phuentshogling.
On the other hand, Trade officials said, except for the supply centre at Motithang, the other two distributors have enough supply.
“Number one being Thrue-bab, there were only a few drivers who were deployed after the lockdown by the dealers who manage to transport LPG to the Western Dzongkhags. Secondly, during the lockdown, most of the drivers and trucks belonging to the dealers were stranded in Phuentshogling. And there were only a few drivers in the Western Dzongkhag,” said Rinchen Lhazom, the Officiating Director General at the Department of Trade under the MoEA.
Four trucks loaded with LPG cylinders reached the supply centres in Thimphu, yesterday.
Meanwhile, people are encouraged to switch to an electric stove.
“Switching from the use of LPG to electricity would mean using clean energy for your cooking, using domestically available resources and we would be promoting import substitution,” she said.
She added the demand for LPG cylinders is on the rise since the last one month and a half.
Kinley Dem
