Fuel shortage hits Nepal’s capital

Ongoing protest of petrol pump workers has triggered shortage of petroleum products across the country including in the capital city, Kathmandu.

The workers affiliated with Nepal Petroleum Workers´ Association
(NPWA) have been barring private refilling stations from receiving supplies from Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) depots from Friday, demanding that their 16-point demands be met.

Among other things, the demands include appointment letter for workers, insurance facility, overtime allowance and permanent appointment to workers who have worked for minimum eight months.

The Maoist-affiliated NPWA said they have deployed over 10,000 petroleum workers to enforce their protests across the country.

With the deepening shortage of fuel due to the protests, the number of vehicles plying in the capital’s streets has declined by over 25 percent, according to traffic police. The fuel shortage has badly hit commuters as vehicles choose to stay off the roads from the early evening.

The agitating workers, however, have allowed refilling stations operated by Sajha, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force to receive supplies from NOC depots. Serpentine queues of vehicles can been at these refilling stations in Kathmandu.

Shiva Prasad Pokharel, secretary of NPWA, alleged that both the government and the petroleum dealers association were showing apathy to their demands. He said that they will continue with the protests until their demands are met.

Pokharel said the refilling stations that are not providing government-fixed salary to their workers should close their business.

He claimed that workers have been drawing just Rs 1,500 per month, without any overtime allowance and insurance facility, despite long working hours and hazardous nature of works.

- ASsan Tribune -