Kathmandu, December 1

Some schools in the Kathmandu Valley have sought help from parents to help them cope with the prolonged fuel crisis.

Lalitpur, Sanepa-based Shuvatara School has urged parents to contribute five liters of diesel each to run school buses.

Ashok KC, transport manager at the school, today said the school has requested parents to support the school by providing five liters of diesel. “This is just a request and parents are not under compulsion to provide us fuel,” he said.

Earlier, on November 29, Nepal Oil Corporation has designated five petrol pumps Basundhara-based Mahalaxmi Fuel Center, Naxal-based Nepal Police Welfare Fund petrol pump, Lagankhel-based Shakti Devi Petrol Station, Sanepa-based Indriayani Oil Store and Thimi-based Guheshwori Fuel Station  for fuel distribution to school buses but it was almost impossible for school buses to queue for fuel during school hours.

“It was not possible for school buses to queue for fuel during school hours as they need to ferry students. So, 90 per cent of parents cooperated with the school by providing diesel,” he said. KC said the school would deduct the amount equivalent to the price of fuel provided to the school from students’ tuition fees.

Shuvatara School has 30 school buses and needs 250 liters of diesel per day to ferry students.

Like Shuvatara School, many schools in the Valley are facing a difficult time due to fuel crisis and have asked parents to provide fuel.

Mukunda Sharma, principal, Hattiban-based Little Angels’ School said they have been managing the fuel on their own.

Little Angels’ School alone has around 125 school buses for more than 6,000 students from pre-primary to diploma level. “Our school buses are queuing for fuel,” said Sharma, adding, “Yesterday, we got some fuel to run school buses.”

NOC had announced to provide fuel to school buses every Monday and Thursday.