Due to the ongoing war in West Asia, various countries around the world are closing schools and universities and operating offices only 4 days a week. The impact of the war is being felt from Nepal's kitchens to the markets. Concerns are also growing among Nepalese consumers.

The operators of Shree Deurali Store and Ronish General Store in Shankhamul say that gas is still not easily available. Shree Deurali Store and Ronish General Store have been selling Himal Gas. Nepal Oil Corporation Executive Director Chandika Bhatta said that a plan has been made for the next three months to ensure easy supply of petroleum products and gas. 'The problem is more in price than quantity, gas has become easy,' he said. 'Due to artificial shortage, the maximum consumption of 250,000 cylinders per day was up to 250,000, now it has come down to 150,000.'

Even though Nepal Oil Corporation has been claiming that there is no shortage, Diwan Chand, President of the LP Gas Industry Association, says that gas is not easily available in retail stores. ‘We can get gas within 2-3 days of registering for gas at the dealer,’ he says, ‘but we are not in a situation where we can get gas in retail stores or have a full gas stock.’

He argues that it has become easier than before after starting to sell 7.1 kg gas. Nepal Oil Corporation’s Teku depot is distributing gas daily. ‘There is no situation where we will sell filled gas cylinders, and we will not die of hunger due to lack of gas,’ said Chand. 

According to the corporation’s executive director Bhatta, with the increase in prices in the international market, the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) had recently sent a new price list to Nepal, increasing petrol by Rs 31 and diesel by Rs 54. On 1 Chaitra, the corporation had increased petrol by Rs 15 per liter, diesel and kerosene by Rs 10. Less than 11 days later, the corporation has again increased petrol by Rs 15 per liter and diesel by Rs 15 per liter. Bhatt says that the price has been increased twice so that consumers do not have to bear the financial burden at once. 

After the joint attack on Iran by the US and Israel, the 'Strait of Hormuz' waterway has been closed to a limited number of countries. Asian countries that buy gas and crude oil from West Asia are in trouble. With the rapid increase in demand and uncertainty in imports linked to global geopolitical tensions, the fuel supply of Asian countries dependent on imports is under pressure.

It is mentioned in the international media that 80 percent of the crude oil supply for Asian countries comes from the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption in the 'Strait of Hormuz' has tightened the global energy supply, which has forced governments to take swift steps to manage shortages and rising costs. India's Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has urged consumers in neighboring countries to stop stockpiling and black marketing, saying that consumers are also stockpiling more than necessary and black marketing. The ministry claims that the situation of petroleum and LP gas supply is completely safe and under control. 

‘There is adequate supply at all retail and fuel outlets, there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or LPG,’ India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement. ‘Despite the problems in the Strait of Hormuz, India is purchasing crude oil from more than 41 suppliers around the world and every refinery is utilizing 100 percent capacity.’ Indian oil companies have claimed that they have arranged for 60 days of crude oil for India. 

Nepal is completely dependent on India for petroleum products and gas. Although Nepal has petroleum product storage, it does not have gas storage. India, on the other hand, has purchased and secured 74 days of storage and 60 days of actual storage (including crude oil, products and strategic storage) for the next two months, the statement said.

Diesel has been imported through the Motihari-Amlekhgunj pipeline since 2076. Petrol, diesel and kerosene have also been imported through the pipeline since 2081. The Corporation has stated that 70 percent of the total consumption of petroleum products comes through the pipeline. The Amlekhgunj depot can store 43,000 kiloliters of fuel, including 25,500 kiloliters of diesel and 17,500 kiloliters of petrol. 

In addition to local sales, fuel is sent from Amlekhgunj to Thankot, Pokhara, Bhairahawa, Biratnagar and Janakpur depots. Petrol pumps receive fuel from the depot. The country consumes 2,000 to 2,500 kiloliters of petrol, 4,500 to 5,000 kiloliters of diesel and 600 kiloliters of aviation fuel per day. The Corporation has stated that 250 kiloliters of petroleum can be imported per hour through the pipeline. 

The Corporation's spokesperson Manoj Thakur says that the storage of petroleum products has not been reduced below 80 percent. 'The Corporation has not allowed the petroleum storage to fall below 80 percent,' he said. He says that even when rumors of shortage spread, it was not enough to provide 1.6 million liters a day. He also claims that it can be brought through the pipeline 24 hours a day. 

Although the supply of gas in Nepal is relatively easy, it is still the same in India. Meanwhile, the Indian Petroleum Ministry has increased the quota of commercial cylinders by 50 percent in consultation with all states to prevent excessive hoarding and black marketing.

Indian industrialists have also stated that they are distributing more than 5 million cylinders daily. Due to the purchase of gas in excess of the requirement, the demand for cylinders had increased to 8.9 million. Now, the Indian ministry has said that it has reduced to 5 million. The Indian government is also encouraging the supply of natural gas through pipes in collaboration with state governments.

When the ‘Strait of Hormuz’ waterway was affected due to the Iran war, its impact has already been felt in Asian countries. Therefore, Sri Lanka has increased the price of petroleum by 25 percent. And, implementing a system of working only four days a week, it has declared a public holiday on Wednesday for most sectors. The holiday has not been implemented in the essential services sector. A QR code-based fuel rationing system has been started and a limit of 15 liters of fuel per week for cars and 60 liters for buses has been set.

Pakistan has closed schools for two weeks from March 16. Universities are running online classes. Government offices are operating four days a week, with only 50 percent of employees except for essential services called to the office. 

The Philippines is the first country to declare an energy emergency due to the war between the US-Israel and Iran. The Philippines declared a national energy emergency on Wednesday. The war has disrupted the Strait of Hormuz, causing fuel shortages and rising prices in the global market. 

98 percent of the Philippines' fuel comes from the Gulf region. Government employees there are working four days a week. Bangladesh has also closed all universities. As of Wednesday, the country's diesel stockpile stood at 1.7 million tons, enough for 13 days.