Long queues continue to be the common sight at major refilling stations in the valley as the efforts to ensure smooth supply of petroleum products have not reaped any fruit.
The shortage of fuel scarcity has once again dealt severe blow to ordinary consumers as the Federation of Petroleum Products Transporters has gone on strike since Sunday demanding the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) scrap the new provision under which tankers more than 20 years old have been prohibited from carrying oil It has also demanded that Indian tankers be banned from transporting oil.
However, the NOC, the state-run monopoly in supply of petroleum products does seem to be in no mood to acquiesce to the demands of petroleum transporters.
The NOC on Wednesday came up with warning to label the agitation fuel transporters as terrorists if they continued with their protest corroborates the above mentioned fact.
“If they (petroleum transporters) continue to obstruct smooth supply of petroleum products, NOC will recommend to the government to enforce the Essential Services Act (ESA) and label them as terrorists,” said Digambar Jha, executive director, NOC.
The NOC also informed it distributed 185 kiloliters (KL) of petrol, 405 KL of diesel and 95 KL of kerosene in Kathmandu Valley in its bid to ease the fuel supply.
Nevertheless, as a huge chunk of private retailers are flatly denying opening their shutters, consumers have been facing great difficulties to buy petroleum products from a limited number of distributors.
Moreover, as the corporation has not been able to import and transfer stocks of fuel since Sunday, this is bound to deepen the shortage of fuel in days to come.
The agitating transporters have also threatened to continue with their strike unless their demands are met. As such, the possibility of more acute fuel crisis in near days has only augmented.
“The perennial onset of fuel shortage speaks volumes on the pathetic state of consumer rights in the country. And, it is really depressing to get constantly devoid of essential commodities like fuel,” lamented Bhaskar Koirala, a commoner. nepalnews.com April 2 09