A day at work in the time of crisis

KATHMANDU, Nov 3: People who need to make it to and fro office everyday are among those hardest hit by the fuel crisis brought forth by the blockade. Few public vehicles are running, and not all employees with vehicles of their own have the time to queue up for some liters of petrol.

In the meantime, thanks to the shortage of gas, most employees are forced to survive the day eating instant noodles and drinking water. We talked to a few office-goers about the problems they've been facing, and the ways they've been managing so far at work in this time of crisis.

Rita Shiwakoti
Cashier, Om Finance

Commuting to and fro work is an ordeal these days. I live in Lokanthali and work in Sundhara; so I normally end up hanging by the microbus door while coming to work. Going back home is equally difficult. We don't have a separate lunch time, so previously we used to order food and it would be delivered right at office. Now ordering seems pointless because either the eateries are closed or they don't the fuel to deliver. I sometimes ask a friend to replace me so that I could go out and look for food, only to find all shops closed. The blockade has hit us really hard. All we can do is hope that it gets sorted out soon.

Shikshya Adhikari
Grant Reporting Officer, International NGO

I live in Dillibazar and I usually walk till Maitighar to catch a Safa tempo that goes to Dhobighat, where my office is located. I enjoy the morning walk because it's nice and fresh; and the walk itself isn't a very long and hectic one. However, I can't say the same nice things about coming back home after work. Ever since the fuel crisis began, I've been compelled to walk back home. It's almost an hour long march and it totally exhausts me. Once I get to my house, I'm in no mood to do anything. The good thing however is that, my office is flexible regarding our work hours; we're allowed to leave a little early or arrive a bit late.

Dikshyant Mahato
Market Research and Brand Strategy Executive, Incentive Group of Companies

These days it's quite difficult to get a public vehicle and what sets me off, is seeing all those bloated microbuses. Given that I'm uncomfortable to ask for lifts, I normally end up walking from my home which is in Dhapasi, to Lainchaur where my office is based. It's almost an hour long walk. Conversely I feel this whole fuel crisis is a blessing in disguise because walking is a healthy habit to keep. I find walking therapeutic and I enjoy my usual walk-commute to work. My office, however, has been kind during this time of crisis. There is flexibility regarding arriving late or leaving early. They also provide us with tea twice a day, which is the elixir of life amidst the hour of gas crisis.

Abhisekh Maskey
Brand and Relationship Officer, King's College

These days I walk at least halfway while commuting to and fro work. I live in Sitapaila and my work place is in Babarmahal. Once I get to work, I'm already tired and I take a little time to relax and get my mind focused. As a coffee addict, these days I only get my dose if other people also order it, so that they can "save some gas" in the canteen. No sooner than my work is done, the thought of how to get back home starts worrying me. Therefore, I feel the blockade and the fuel crisis accompanying it is affecting my productivity as an employee. I'm not in the right psychological state to be enthusiastic about my work. However I also see many positive things; for example, people opting for alternatives like, putting tea in thermos in order to save gas. This is wise.

Mahendra Maharjan
Marketing Officer, Himal Remit

I live in Kalanki, and commuting to my work in Gairidhara, is the biggest problem these days. I have a bike, but I need to be very calculative about every single drop of petrol I decide to spend. It doesn't help at all that my work involves lots of traveling. There aren't many eateries open anymore, and that's another major problem. We've been managing by munching on instant noodles—the supply of which I hear is already short, and sharing with colleagues who can manage to bring lunch from home. My office has been considerate enough to allow us to queue up in petrol pumps during office time when there isn't much work, and by reducing work hours. We can leave work an hour early these days, so that even if we don't get a ride back home, we can manage to walk before it's too dark. However, it's frustrating to live like this. We're also focused on other things instead of our work, and this isn't good.

Rabina Tuladhar
Sales Executive, Ocean Computers

Owning a scooter was a big advantage sometime ago, but now it's worthless. With little or no petrol, I normally take the microbus which is, not to mention, way too packed. However a good culture that has come across is hitchhiking and there are strangers who offer lifts. This is how I mostly commute to work these days. Understanding our plight, the administration has been considerate and doesn't mind if we arrive a little late at work and leave slightly early. Another big problem is that there's nothing to eat at work. The local eateries are closed and don't even have tea. These days we have resorted to chatpate for lunch because that's the only thing that seems to be available. Anyway, we've been somehow managing things, and I'm hopeful that the whole thing will be sorted out soon.