It is seven in the evening and people are still queued at the Bhutan Oil Distributor, BOD, depot to get the Liquefied Petroleum Gas, or LPG cooking gas. This has been the scene for quite some time now. Our reporter, Karma Wangdi, says that the people have to wait even months to get their cylinders refilled.
Even the police are having difficult time controlling the crowd. Some of the customers said the shortage is because of the increasing population in Samtse.
“With the growing population LPG suppliers have to demand more number of LPG gas. People from far flung places like us have to wait for three months to refill our empty gas,” said one irate customer.
Another resident said that they had to come by taxi only to go back without getting their cylinders refilled. He even suggested having a coupon system for the benefit of all the customers.
Meanwhile, the BOD manager said that the quota issued by the Trade Department is not enough for the growing population in Samtse. Previously, the Dzongkhag used to get 1,000 cylinders in a month. The quota has now been reduced to 750 a month.
The Manager said that he has written to its company- Tashi Commercial Corporation asking for more number of cylinders.
Until then the local residents have to queue for long hours and some might have to go back without refilling their cylinders time and again.
