Gas shortage in India forces Nepali workers to return home

Dhangadhi: The number of Nepalis returning from India has risen at the Trinagar-Gauriphanta border checkpoint in Kailali, as employment opportunities have been affected by a shortage of cooking gas.

The gas and fuel supply disruptions in various Indian cities have caused difficulties in the operation of hotels and small businesses, directly impacting Nepali workers employed in the hospitality sector.

Vijay Bik of Kailali said he had to return home after daily life became difficult due to the gas shortage. Similarly, Roshan Khadka of Doti stated that he returned because the hotel he worked at was on the verge of closing, increasing the risk of job loss.

Mahesh Bhatt, also from Doti and working in Pune, India, noted that the gas shortage has significantly affected the hotel industry, leaving many Nepali workers unemployed. In some places, firewood has been used as an alternative.

The shortage has been attributed to tightened gas distribution in India caused by fuel supply problems stemming from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Indian media reports indicate that 20 to 30 percent of hotels in major cities have closed due to the gas shortage.

India has long been a major employment destination for Nepali workers, and the current situation has directly affected employment in the far-western region, prompting an increase in the number of workers returning home.