Dealers, transporters defy association's strike

KATHMANDU, March 31: The government’s decision to ban strike in petroleum sector, created a vertical split among the agitating petroleum dealers and transporters Tuesday, enabling Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to pump out 540 kiloliters of fossil fuel in the market in Kathmandu. [break]



But, the corporation said consumers would still need to wait for a few more days to get hold of fossil fuel easily. Shortage of fuel has sparked in the Valley after Nepal Petroleum Transporters´ Federation (NPTF) and Nepal Petroleum Dealers´ Association (NPDA) launched strike from Sunday placing different demands to the government.



“Despite strong-worded warnings of NPTF and NPDA, however, some of the transporters and petroleum dealers resumed their services today,” said a NOC official. Subsequent to the development, the corporation distributed 45 tanker loads of petroleum products in the Kathmandu Valley. The volume of supply was close to one-third of the normal daily demand.



“The tankers will reach the dealers by the evening. We expect it to improve the supply situation,” said the NOC official.



Dealers who resumed services told myrepublica.com that they defied the NPDA’s strike because the association’s demand to the government to revoke the decision that extended Rs 10 subsidy on a liter of diesel to industries was not fair.



Similar was the opinion of the tanker operators based in Kathmandu on the NPTF’s demand, which sought NOC not to replace older tankers from its transportation chain. “It is up to the government to decide whether it wishes to pledge subsidy on diesel to power-stricken industries. NPDA has no business to ask the government to revoke the decision,” said a dealer operator, requesting anonymity.



He elaborated that the group of dealers, who did not support NPDA’s demand, decided to go against the association holding a meeting on Monday. “Also the promise of the government to extend security to us helped us take the decision,” he said.



Meanwhile, long queues of vehicles built up at refilling stations of army, police, armed police force and Sajha cooperatives, which are not on strike, on Tuesday as well. NOC officials the corporation would issue oil to dealers from the early hours on Wednesday in a bid to restore normal supply soon.



Despite its efforts, the corporation, however, failed to import fuel, as tanker operators outside the Valley did not show confidence on the security arrangement and feared attacks from the NPTF members supporting the strike.



“We expect this problem to be solved on Wednesday,” said the official.

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