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Consumers in Butwal hold umbrellas while waiting for cooking gas in the scorching sun on Tuesday. All photos courtesy: Nepal Photo Library

Residents in Rupandehi are facing hardship amid an irregular supply of cooking liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with consumers lining up under the scorching sun to obtain cylinders.

To ease the shortage, the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) Lumbini Provincial Office in Bhalwari has begun distributing LPG directly to consumers in coordination with the Gas Sellers Association and the District Administration Office, Rupandehi.

On Tuesday, at least 1,600 cylinders are being distributed at Bal Mandir in Butwal and the Food Corporation premises in Bhairahawa. LPG from brands including Butwal, Aarti, Siddhartha, Siddhinath, Trishul, Janaki, Swastik, Chandeshwari, and Lumbini is being distributed.

Consumers have been seen standing in long queues while holding umbrellas to shield themselves from the heat. The temperature in Rupandehi is currently around 36 degrees Celsius, adding to the hardship faced by those waiting for gas.

The direct distribution has provided consumers an alternative to regular market channels amid the disruption in LPG supplies.