Kathmandu, March 5

Fuel stations in Kathmandu Valley have been barred from distributing fuel till late into the night from tomorrow.

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) — the state-owned petroleum company — has asked its dealer fuel stations to distribute fuel from early morning from Sunday following the recent decision made by the joint meeting of Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Supplies, Department of Supply Management and Consumer Protection and NOC.

Vehicle owners had been compelled to queue at the petrol stations till the wee hours as the fuel stations were distributing fuel only from the second half of the day. The reason behind it was because the Thankot Depot of NOC was sending the fuel tankers only in the second half of the day, citing logistic reasons.

Fuel stations have now been asked to distribute fuel from the morning if they receive fuel from NOC in the evening.

According to Home Secretary Narayan Gopal Malego, due to the difficulties being faced by vehicle owners, the government has instructed fuel stations through NOC to distribute fuel from the morning. “Security personnel will collect the details of the quantity of fuel distributed from all fuel stations before they close in the evening,” he said, adding, “The fuel stations will have to start distributing fuel from the next morning under the direct supervision of security personnel.”

Home Secretary Malego informed that along with the market monitoring team of Department of Supply Management and Consumer Protection, the District Administration Offices in Kathmandu Valley have also been asked to ramp up market monitoring.

“We received a lot of complaints from the public stating that fuel stations had not been distributing fuel properly during the night.”

The rule will be applicable for all the fuel stations in Kathmandu Valley apart from four fuel stations. The four fuel stations that have been exempted from this new measure are the Nepal Police Welfare Fund Petrol Pump at the Police headquarters in Naxal, and Mahalaxmi Fuel Station in Basundhara operated by Nepal Police and the Halchowk fuel station and Guheshwori Fuel Centre in Thimi that are operated by the Armed Police Force.

According to NOC, the four fuel stations have been exempted from the new rule considering emergency supplies that could be required at night.