Jhapa, November 19:

Petroleum dealers in Jhapa district and their employees are protesting — tying up a black band on their arms — against the mismanagement of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and short-supply of petroleum products — from yesterday.

Prior to the protest they have submitted a eight-point agitation programme. The agitation was launched as the consumers and dealers failed to get enough petroleum products despite paying high price in the market, Chandra Bahadur Dangi, Nepal Petroleum Dealers Association’s coordinator of the eastern region, said, adding that only 40 per cent of petroleum products consumed in the eastern region is supplied by the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC).

Dangi said that Mechi zone has daily consumption of 20,000 liters of petrol, 60,000 liters of diesel and 25,000 liters of kerosene. “The dealers are in a great difficulty,” he added. The NPDA, through the district administration office, has also sent a letter of memorandum to the NOC yesterday.

In the memorandum, they have demanded sufficient supply of petro products, cancellation of Petroleum Quality Control Bill-2063 and third amendment of the Dealers Regulation 2064. They have also asked NOC to distribute POL produc-ts only through the authorised dealers. The eight-point agitation programme includes a tying up of black arm-band on November 18, three-hour closure of NOC office on November 24 and halting distribution of the POL products totally, if their demands were not met even after these protest programmes.