Fine hoarders, fix the supply chain system

The government has imposed a fine of Rs 300,000 on a gas depot in Lalitpur for storing LPG at a time when people are facing difficulties in procuring cooking gas. Officials found more than 6,300 cylinders stored at Shree Ram Gas Bhandaran in Harisiddhi. The action comes as households queue for days, sometimes weeks, just to get a refill. The shortage has been linked to the Middle East crisis, which has pushed up demand and strained supply. The state has tried to respond by asking bottlers to sell half-filled cylinders so that more households can access some gas. It has also urged the public to report black marketing and other irregularities. The fine is part of that effort and sends a message that hoarding will not be tolerated. Still, one fine will not fix a system that is already under stress. The shortage is not caused by one depot alone. It is a mix of limited supply, weak monitoring, and public panic. Traders hoard to make quick profits, while people stockpile gas out of fear. Between the two, the market is disrupted. The decision to fine the depot is justified, as it shows the government is willing to act.