Dealers refuse to sell fuel at govt fixed rate

BIRATNAGAR, Aug 5: Petroleum dealers in eastern Nepal have stopped receiving petroleum supplies, exerting pressure on the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to allow them charge additional 50 paisa per liter on the government fixed rate.



As part of their strike, they have stopped receiving supplies from NOC´s depot for the past two days.[break]



Dealers in the eastern region were charging 50 paisa per liter extra on the government fixed rate, citing reasons like rise in transportation cost. The state-owned fuel monopolist had recently directed them to sell fuel at the price fixed by the government.



Petroleum dealers argue that they were charging 50 paisa per liter extra, as they were facing loss of 67 paisa per liter because of factors like additional transportation cost, overhead expenses, commission and working loss.



“We were facing loss of 17 paisa per liter even after charging extra 50 paisa per liter. We are not in the business to make loss,” said Arbinda Kumar Sharma, general secretary of the dealers´ association.



However, Birendra Goit, regional chief of NOC, said the dealers must sell petroleum products at government fixed price. “Commission provided by NOC is sufficient to sustain their operations. There is no reason why they should charge extra,” Goit added.



The eastern region consumes 250 kiloliters of diesel, 100 kiloliters of petrol and 50 kiloliters of kerosene every day.

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