According to Sharad Poudel, the regional NOC officer, 15 tankers with petroleum products entered Nepal from Dhangadhi border-point on Tuesday. Among them, 10 tankers were of 20,000 liters capacity while five had 12,000 liters capacity. Together, the tankers transported around 260,000 of diesel and 20,000 liters of petrol in total."We had received similar amount of oil on November 26 and 27," informed Poudel. "Likewise, 15 tankers loaded with fuel have already set off from Banthara depot on Tuesday and they will reach Dhangadi on Wednesday," he added. Banthara depot lies at a distance of 165 kilometers from Dhangadi.
Although there are no obstructions from cadres of the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) and Tharuhat at Gauriphanta transit-point, the Indian side allows only limited quantity of fuel to pass through the border there.
"The Indian side did not supply any petroleum product on the first few days of the start of the trade blockade. Later, then began to let in three petroleum laden tankers per day through the Gauriphanta border. The number of tankers entering Nepal later increased to six or seven per day," said Poudel. "Now we have been receiving around 15 tankers daily since the past three days. However, we cannot yet say that fuel supply has eased because India has been letting fuel supply go up and down to deceive us."
According to him, fuel crisis in the far western region will be eliminated only if India lets in 20 tankers of fuel per day.
Since the beginning of the Indian blockade, 460,000 liters of diesel and 100,000 liters of aviation fuel have reached Kathmandu from Dhangadhi.
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