Butwal: Grocery store fined Rs 50,000 for hoarding gas cylinders

Butwal. A grocery store located at Tribhuvan Chowk in Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City-11, Banke, has been penalized for allegedly hoarding gas. The Shankar Dayal Badriprasad Provision Store was fined Rs 50,000 for hiding gas and not selling it to consumers. During a market inspection led by Banke's Assistant Chief District Officer Mahesh Kumar Gurung on Sunday, 13 gas cylinders were found hidden in the store. According to Assistant Chief District Officer Gurung, the inspection was conducted following complaints that the store operator was turning away consumers asking for gas, saying 'there is no gas'. Gurung said, 'We are regularly monitoring the market. During that time, we also received a complaint about that store. During the inspection on Sunday, it was found that gas was being hoarded.' According to him, the store was found to be telling consumers there was no gas and turning them away, with 13 gas cylinders hidden. Following this, the store was fined a minimum of Rs 50,000 as per the prevailing regulations. Gurung said, 'When consumers came, the operator used to say there was no gas and send them away. As soon as the complaint was received, the inspection team also inspected here.' The inspection team included Assistant Chief District Officer Gurung, police, representatives from Nepalgunj Sub-Metropolitan City, and journalists.