No fuel cargo entered Nepal Sunday

Border blockade continues for 11th day

KATHMANDU, Oct 4: Media reports on Saturday claiming that the blockade on vehicular movement at India-Nepal border had been lifted turned out to be untrue as the restrictions seemed to continue as of Sunday.

Nepalese people, who have been reeling under acute shortage of essential goods, including that of fuel and medicines, were quick to express their happiness on social media over the news of the end of border blockade imposed by India.

But the excitement waned after it was learnt that India had allowed mostly the containers carrying vegetables and fruits to cross the border into Nepal and stopped the ones carrying fuels. Even the vehicles carrying degradable items like fruit and vegetables have been allowed to pass only through some of the border points.

No cargo crossed into Nepal through Biratnagar-Jogbani border on Sunday even though the chiefs of Birgunj and Jobgani customs have already reached an agreement to allow the imports to Nepal.

The restriction on vehicles carrying fuel has also been reported from Kakadvitta, another border point in the east.

"Around 30 vehicles except for petroleum tankers and LPG bullets have entered Nepal through the Kakadvitta border on Sunday," Mechi Customs Chief Bhim Bahadur Adhikari told Republica.

He added that three LPG bullets that have been stranded at Panitanki border since the last week are still waiting cross into Nepal.

Nepali traders, quoting Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), said that the IOC was unlikely to provide more than four tankers of petroleum products.

Birgunj customs, from where 70 percent of the total goods imported from India and abroad enters Nepal, is also a major route for containers carrying petroleum products.

All the supplies from India and other countries have been stalled at Birgunj-Raxaul border due to the sit-in protest held by the leaders of agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) for the last 11 days.

From the Bhairahawa border, too, 40 vehicles, except petroleum tankers, have entered the country.

Sub Inspector Bishnu Giri, in-charge at the Area Police Office, Jamunaha informed that only 10 trucks loaded with potatoes, cement, marble and clinkers have entered via Nepalgunj border. "No petroleum tanker has entered via this border," Giri told Republica.

Despite the instruction from India's Ministry of External Affairs to allow passage to vehicles waiting to cross into Nepal, Indian border authorities, including Indian Seema Suraksha Bal have halted tankers with petroleum products at Rupaidiha, which shares border with Nepalgunj.