Because of the back-to-back strike, fuel shortage hit the eastern region, affecting vehicle owners, transportation services and industrial operations.[break]
Eastern Petroleum Dealers´ Association (EPDA) that enforced the strike even announced that it would not withdraw the strike unless the government imposed ban on petroleum transporters syndicate.
“We are closing down all refilling stations for two days starting from Monday. If the government did not respond, we will continue the strike for indefinite period,” said Mukunda Neupane, general secretary of Koshi Petroleum Dealers´ Association.
Dealers argued they were forced to strike as transporters reinforced their syndicate, even though it was banned by the country´s law and local administration a few months ago.
Interestingly, tanker owners have blamed the petroleum dealers for the reintroduction of syndicate. “The dealers are hiring only the tankers closer by their refilling stations. As that forced a large number of tankers out of business, we had to reinforce syndicate to assure business to all,” said a fuel tanker owner.
Petroleum dealers, however, refuted the charge and argued that the syndicate will do nothing more than promoting monopoly of tanker drivers and the helpers.
The shut down of petrol pump, meanwhile, has spurred black marketing of fuel in the region. Consumers complained that they are paying as much as Rs 150 for a liter of petrol.
The government has fixed petrol price at Rs 96.80 per liter in Biratnagar.
Mainly people working in garages in Urlabari and running retail shops in other parts of Morang district are engaged in black marketing.
The average daily consumption of petrol, diesel and kerosene in the eastern region stands at 100 kiloliters (KL), 350 KL and 40 KL respectively. There are a total of 527 petrol pumps in the region.
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