Dhangadi, July 18
Petrol station operators in Kailali have created an artificial shortage of petroleum products by shutting down their stations.
The operators have not picked up fuel from Nepal Oil Corporation‘s Dhangadhi depot since Friday. They have not sold the fuel they picked up on Friday.
People queuing up to fill fuel in their vehicles have been returned by the petrol station stating they have no fuel.
Maniram Pandey, President of the Petroleum Transport Business Association, said the situation arose after dealers stopped picking up petroleum products.
“They are waiting for new rates to come from India before they decide to buy petroleum products,” said Pandey. “Talks are underway.”
Mohan Kumar Shah, regional head of NOC Dhangadhi, said that petroleum products have been distributed to dealers in all districts of the province until Friday. NOC could not distribute petroleum products on Sunday due to issues in NOC’s system.
Shah said NOC is sending 240,000 litres of petrol and 284,000 litres of diesel to petrol stations.
He said that some of the petrol station operators have bought petroleum products due to the forecast of fuel prices falling in India.
