The continuing obstruction of the country’s trade routes along borders with India by the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) and the Indian government’s undeclared blockade have created acute shortage of essential supplies including fuel in the landlocked country.
As a result, black market has spread its roots deep into the system – its branches ramifying into unseen chambers spurring speculations and breeding distrusts. The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) top officials are under suspicion while many petrol pump proprietors have been busted for institutional theft.
The availability of fuel products in abundance in the black market has raised many eye brows yet no one is able do more than just speculate.
The journalists on the other hand have found a way to spend a whole day once a week along the banks of the notorious Bishnumati river at Teku. It is the Fridays when the journalists with identity cards issued from the Department of Information (DoI) line up with the motorbikes and four wheelers at the state-owned National Trading Limited for handful of petrol. The long serpentine queue of motorbikes along the Bishnumati, adjacent to the National Trading Ltd fuel station can be seen from dusk till dawn.
The bikes start lining up at about 4:00 am and the arrival of journalists in their bikes continues till late in the afternoon. The National Trading starts distributing petrol usually at around 11:30 am and this continues into the evening when the last of the journalists at the tail end of the queue receive petrol.
When the motorbike reaches the area at around 8:00 am it usually gets into the lot of 300 to 400 + and those arriving between 9:00 am to 10:00 am usually fall into the lot of 500 to 600 +. A journalist parking his motorbike in the queue at 8:00 am usually gets the amount of petrol set by the government for journalists at around 2:00 to 3:00 pm.
The distribution of petrol for the journalists has not always been smooth and ‘trouble free’ rather it is a scene of cacophony and turbulence. Once there had been pressure from the traffic police to have all the bill books checked so as to certify whether the motorcyclists have paid tax to the government. This created a furor among the journalists waiting their turn and they were of one voice that it was not the place to check the bill book’s renewal. This is our right given by the government and we have the right to exercise it, a journalist made his point. Another journalist said that it was not the right place to check on the bill book when journalists are getting their share of petrol. After much opposition and phone calls the traffic cops were removed, and journalists allowed in receiving their petrol by showing the press identity cards.
In all of those Fridays the journalists on bikes were seen mostly complaining of the time taken up in course of receiving Rs 500 worth of petrol (4.8 litres) and sometimes Rs 300 worth of petrol (2.8 litres).
On January 1, when the bikers queued up for petrol they had little idea that the New Year’s Day was going to unfold some dramatic events. On December 25th around 50 to 70 journalists at the tail end of the queue were deprived of petrol because the fuel station ran out of petrol. They were asked to come on Monday (Dec 28) but were turned away. On New Year’s Day, National Trading started its day by distributing fuel at around 11 am and by pouring petrol into the bikes of these journalists who were left out the preceding week.
The bikes queuing in a single file was moving smoothly when chaos descended the scene. The bikers at the tail ends seeing open gaps in the line squeezed their acceleration and came in front overtaking those who had come earlier. Most of the journalists in their line including this scribe waited and waited looking ahead with unbelieving eyes as all those behind followed some ambitious ones looking to cash in on gaps.
Soon all the bikers broke their file and moved forward to shoehorn their way into any spaces available. The result is not hard to picture, the road was filled with bikes causing a traffic jam. The gaps in the line were created as many journalists with the bike lined up were away to have their lunch or for other businesses. One journalist said he has gastritis and that he could not stay hungry, and left the bike in the queue to go and have lunch.
On January 8 also the usual routine unfolded at the National Trading Ltd with many journalists waiting all day to return empty handed at the end.
The complaints and grievances from media representatives queuing desperately for petrol reflect the country’s current scenario. The complaints range from National Trading Limited staffs creating a different queue from the backdoor for locals, friends of security services and some astute customers due to which the journalists at the far end of the queue are a worrisome lot –worrying if they will not receive petrol. Many bikers who seem to arrive from nowhere are seen at the front gate waiting for a slip in the attention of journalists monitoring the main entrance to get inside for tank full of petrol.
Journalists also complain of seeing people who have no relation to journalism flaunting press cards and acquiring petrol. Hence, it is high time the government heed towards such scale of mismanagement and turmoil creating an insufferable Friday for the journalists. RSS
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