In a relief to oil-starved Nepalese people, authorities today resumed distribution of fuel after a gap of six months following the Madhesi agitation that led to blockage of key border trade points with India.
Petrol was supplied to both private and public two- wheelers and four-wheeler vehicles from all petrol stations in Kathmandu, following resumption of fuel supplies to Nepal from India on Monday through the Raxaul border after agitating Madhesis called off their nearly five-month-long blockade that caused acute shortage of petroleum in the landlocked nation.
The United Democratic Madhesi Front, that was protesting against the Constitution that divides the country into seven provincial units, called off the strike on Monday.
Motorists and motorcyclists will get refilling facility on a regular basis from all the fuel stations in the Kathmandu Valley from Friday, the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) announced.
However, the state run fuel monopoly, will continue with its fuel rationing system for another week. It will supply only five litres to two-wheelers and 15 litres to four- wheelers, according to a notice issued by the NOC.
A meeting held between acting Commerce Secretary Deepak Subedi and NOC officials yesterday decided to provide fuel after the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) resumed supply, along with the reopening of Raxaul-Birgunj border point after a five-month halt. Nepal depends mainly on India for its petroleum requirements.
Similarly, it has also been decided to increase the distribution of diesel in the Kathmandu Valley by 100,000 litres to 450,000 litres per day from Saturday.
"We are distributing fuel to fuel stations like in the normal times from Friday," said NOC spokesman Mukunda Ghimire
"However, fuel rationing will continue for another week so that a larger number of people can avail fuel," he said.
According to NOC, daily consumption of petrol and diesel across the country hovers around 1.1 million litres and 2.6 million litres, respectively.
Meanwhile, 159 vehicles laden with gasoline, petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel entered the country via the Raxaul-Birgunj route today.
The number of vehicles entering the country via Raxaul in Bihar has been increasing each day as the local IOC depot has increased supply to Nepal.
