Biratnagar, February 10:

The petroleum entrepreneurs of Koshi zone hold the government responsible for the petroleum crisis. They claimed the deteriorating situation of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and the shortage of petroleum was mainly caused by hefty taxes collected by the government. They said the problem would not be solved until the government exempt petroleum from the huge import taxes.

According to participants of the 8th general convention of Petroleum Dealer’s Association Koshi (PDAK) on Saturday, hiking the petroleum prices alone could not solve the problems. Founding president of PDAK Radhakrishna Agrawal said the government needed to ease the supply of petroleum by reducing the tax. Central treasurer of Nepal Petroleum Dealers Association Lilendra Pradhan maintained the petroleum problem arose only after the government imposed heavy tax on petroleum.

Hiking the price without reducing the tax was an “absurd act”, maintained president PDAK Dharmaraj Bartaula. Increasing the petroleum price at a time when the buying capacity of consumers was declining was irresponsible on the part of the government, he added.

Bhim Ghimire, member of Morang Industry Organisation said hundreds of industries have been hit by the shortage of diesel.

Petroleum entrepreneur Another entrepreneur Govinda Bhattarai demanded exemption of taxes for diesel and reduction in petrol to solve the problem.

Normal supply:

KATHMANDU: Supply Minister Shyam Sundar Gupta today claim-ed that supply of petroleum products would be normal within two days, as NOC reached a pact with tanker drivers. NOC has agreed to insure Rs 500,000 for each tanker ferrying petroleum. He said NOC today sent additional Rs 1 billion to IOC, which would also increase imports. The tanker drivers had halted transportation after a tanker was attacked last week in Birgunj.—HNS