KATHMANDU, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- The recently formed Consumers' Struggle Committee has given a 15-day ultimatum to the Nepali government to end the persisting problems of load-shedding, crisis of petroleum and cooking gas, The Himalayan Times reported on Sunday.

    According to the daily, the committee has also warned of violent protests if the government doesn’t solve the problems.

    The committee said Saturday they had set the deadline for March7 to put an end to the scarcity of basic facilities.

    They have come up with four-point demands: decrease load-shedding hours that is keeping for at least 8-hours per day in the capital, ensure smooth supply of liquefied petroleum gas, kerosene, diesel, petrol and water, bring down the prices of essential items and create a peaceful environment for living.

    Bipin Rai, coordinator of the committee, was cited as saying that a lot of people were facing problems even to cook two-time meal, many are forced to walk for hours to reach their destinations, students are unable to attend classes, power-cuts had hampered business of countless and a lot of people were spending hours in queues for diesel and petrol, but the government seemed least bothered.

    He added that if the government did not bring the shortage to end by March 7, they would cut power supply to the ministers' quarters, and to the residences of high-ranking Nepal Electricity Authority officials.

    Fuel crisis and power shortage are going throughout Nepal due to a general strike jointly called by United Democratic Madhesi Front and Federal Republic National Front in southern Nepal recent days.