Refilling stations in the eastern region are still dry, despite the end of protest waged by the petroleum workers.
Mukunda Neupane, general secretary of Nepal Petroleum Dealers´ Association, Koshi, said refilling stations couldn´t distribute fuel on Thursday as they could not receive supply from NOC depot. “The stock that we had dried up due to the strike enforced by petroleum workers. We could not receive fuel even before the workers´ protest because of the picketing of NOC depot by the workers,” he added.
The eastern region alone has a daily demand of 100 kiloliter (KL) petrol, 350 KL diesel and 40 KL kerosene.
NOC´s regional office in Biratnagar also said it had failed to distribute fuel to dealers since three days before the petroleum workers waged protest, due to the protest at its office by the workers.
“We could not supply fuel to dealers on Thursday, as the dealers have to fill up bank vouchers and go through necessary administrative requirements,” an officer at NOC depot told myrepublica.com.
Meanwhile, refilling stations were having hard time convincing consumers that they had yet to receive supplies from NOC. Buddhi Khawas of Punjabi Petrol Pump said he returned hundreds of consumers who had come to his pump for refilling.
Chief of NOC´s regional office Mukunda Ghimire said the shortage was seen due to hindrance in supplies. “We will supply 300 KL petrol and 900 KL diesel to the dealers by Thursday night. This will help end fuel shortage to some extent,” Ghimire said.
Petroleum workers had picketed NOC´s depot in Biratnagar before waging nation-wide protest.
Neupane said over 450 refilling stations could not distribute fuel on Thursday as they did not have fuel in stock.
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