The hoarding of huge quantities of gasoline without adequate precaution could lead to big disasters to life and property

The dangerous manner in which fuel is being handled due to the scarcity of the petroleum products has created a scare. Recently fire from a lit candle resulted in the death of three of the same family in Koteswor and one sustained serious burn injuries. Apparently, fire broke out from the candle when a taxi driver was pouring petrol into another vehicle. This incident and others in which several people have died or have been burnt critically have raised much public concern compelling the police to warn the public for the safe handling of fuel. Vehicles have also met with mishaps on the highways as they are taking advantage of the scarcity carrying petrol and diesel on their rooftops or even inside. The police have appealed to all to exercise extra caution when using and transporting petroleum products. Many vehicles are overloaded with fuel inviting disaster as they fall down ravines killing many in tragic accidents. These days due to the scarcity of fuel in the market we see rampant smuggling of this scarce commodity to the capital city and other parts of the country.

Furthermore, black-marketing and hoarding of fuel is rife without taking the necessary precautions to avert disasters. Safety measures are lacking as fuel is sold in bottles by the black marketeers and they are distributed in an unsafe manner in bottles and jerry cans and they are stored in houses. The police have asked the public to inform them when they see such activities which are against the law. These tip-offs would greatly assist the police in dealing with the culprits who should be punished for taking undue advantage of shortage of petrol, diesel and LPG. It has come to knowledge that the authorities have even mobilized civil servants in several petrol pumps to see to it that fuel is being distributed in a fair manner. Still we can see bottles with fuel being sold openly in the market and the concerned authorities appear to be the least concerned about this state of affairs.

The hoarders of the petroleum products appear to be getting away with their illegal activity and there is need to constantly monitor the market to bring black-marketing of fuel to a halt, though this task is extremely difficult given the acute shortages of the products. Indeed, many ‘mini-petrol pumps’ have sprouted in the Tarai because of cross-border smuggling. Moreover, the hoarding of huge quantities of gasoline without adequate precaution could lead to big disasters to life and property. The public should also be alert about what is happening now. The nexus between the black-marketeers and petrol pump owners is unashamedly seen. Meanwhile, the country is passing through difficult times due to the protracted, undeclared blockade and the people are undergoing immense hardships. It is difficult to procure fuel and priority has been given to provide them to those providing essential services. In the meantime, everything possible should be done to see to it that the fuel is available as during normal times. We just cannot go on blaming each other for this terrible ordeal, but we should take the initiative to carry us through this shortage which is also seeing the scarcity of other essentials in the market.

Digital aid

CCTV cameras are becoming increasingly popular in the country, with organizations seeing its importance from various points of view. Security agencies have gone ahead of most others in installing such cameras at vantage points to detect and prevent crime. This has certainly helped those agencies do their duty more effectively. CCTV cameras have been helping the traffic police to reduce traffic offences and get hold of the offenders if they commit traffic offences on the basis of the footage shown on such cameras.

Other offices have also taken to these modern devices. For example, a number of schools and colleges in the Kathmandu Valley have installed such cameras in the classrooms and at certain other points so that students’ behaviour, and probably also of the activities of others, could be monitored, helping them maintain discipline and create a better educational environment. For sensitive locations and locations where manual monitoring is not always possible, CCTVs cameras have become a necessity to improve organizational performance.