Such commitments from the sole supplier of petroleum products to Nepal came during the meeting between distribution heads of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and IOC in Patna, India last week. The meeting was held to address NOC´s rising grievances over erratic supply from Raxaul and Barauni refinery, the two key import points that meet two-thirds of country´s fuel refinery. [break]
Following the accident in IOC´s Jaypur depot, which was gutted by fire and inflicted a huge loss to IOC, the Indian supplier had tightened entry of vehicles in its depots and refineries. That along with traffic congestion along Birgunj-Raxaul corridor had dragged down Nepal´s import from Raxaul depot to as low as 1,400 kiloliters a day.
In the past, the normal daily imports from Raxaul used to stand around 2,200 KL. The short supply had spurred shortage of fuel in the country, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley, now and again.
“IOC, however, agreed for overlapped refilling of tankers and also increased the supply this week,” said Mukunda Dhungel, director-distribution at NOC.
He told myrepublica.com that NOC has started to receive as much as 2,300 KL of petroleum products from Raxaul, something which has enabled it restore normal supplies of diesel in the market. Supply of petrol was regular and there was no problem in its availability.
Along with Raxaul, NOC has also continued to bring in more diesel from Barauni refinery. With it, NOC says its petrol stock at Thankot increased to over 1,300 KL, close to the capacity of some 1,800 KL. “Diesel´s stock too has gone up to half of the capacity, which stands at 8,400 KL,” said Dhungel.
Likewise, NOC has announced that its stocks in Amlekhgunj and other depots too have gone up.
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