In
the third week of April when fuel crisis had reached its peak in the Kathmandu
Valley, Nepal Oil Corporation headquarters decided to fetch additional amount
of petrol from its depot in Bhairahawa to ease the supply situation in the
capital.
भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस्
A
call was then made to Nagendra Prasad Kurmi, head of NOC depot at Bhalbari,
near Bhairahawa, and an order for 500,000 litres of petrol was placed. “The
official immediately agreed to supply the commodity,” a high-ranking NOC
official told THT on condition of anonymity. But when it was time to deliver
the product, tanker drivers refused to drive up to Kathmandu. “They just said
they wouldn’t drive,” the official said.
NOC
officials then had to talk to representatives of their umbrella body, the
Western Tanker Operators Association, many of whom were recently found to have
been involved in stealing 17,000 litres of diesel from tankers hired by NOC.
Finally
an agreement was reached, and in the next two days 164,000 litres of petrol was
delivered to NOC’s Thankot depot. “But after that they refused to transport the
rest of the product, saying that tanker drivers of other regions had objected
to the use of trucks in their territory,” the official said. This, according to
officials, was a lame excuse as the agreement signed between NOC and tanker
operators clearly stated that the state-owned oil company can ask any truck to
transport petroleum products to any place based on need. “We explained this to
them but they refused to budge,” the official said.
While
the drivers were showing resistance, queues in front of petrol pumps in the
Valley were growing longer. “The commerce secretary was frequently calling us,
inquiring why we had failed to bring the situation under control,” the official
added.
This
incident gives a snapshot of how NOC officials are at the mercy of tanker
operators, who simply deny to do the work they are hired and paid for, while
consumers suffer. “Tanker drivers are big bullies here. They fail to grasp a
simple fact that each of around 60 tankers in operation here make up to Rs
36,180 per trip because of business created by NOC,” said an official deputed
at NOC’s Bhalbari depot on condition of anonymity. But tanker operators do not
give two hoots to the logic. And if someone tries to raise voice against them,
they either stop transporting petroleum products or resort to violence.
भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस्
Around
six months ago, for instance, a group of around 40 to 50 tanker drivers raised
their fists when discussions during a meeting called by NOC to clear the air on
allegations of fuel theft levelled by pump owners got heated. Later, when NOC
did not concede to western region’s tanker operators’ demands that they be
allowed to transport fuel up to Gaidakot, they stopped transporting it for 11
days. Had the government agreed to their demand, the tanker operators would
have made extra money, but consumers living around Gaidakot area would have
been forced to pay an extra 50 paisa on purchase of every litre of fuel.
Again
today, they stopped transporting fuel demanding that arrest warrants issued
against 15 persons involved in theft of 17,000 litres of diesel be withdrawn.
THT’s
attempt to contact the leaders of tanker operators went in vain, as most of
them are involved in fuel theft case and are at large.
‘My
way or the highway’ attitude
• In the third week of April, when NOC
wanted to fetch fuel from Bhalbari depot, tanker drivers refused to
drive
petroleum products
to
Kathmandu
• On April 29, police recovered 17,000
litres of diesel stolen by tanker drivers
• Around six months ago, a group of
around 40 to 50 tanker drivers raised their fists when discussions during a
meeting called by NOC to clear the air on allegations of fuel theft levelled by
pump owners got heated
• Each of around 60 tankers in operation
make up to Rs 36,180 per trip because of the business created by NOC, but the
state-owned oil monopoly does not have a single tanker of its own
