JANAKPUR: The direct import of petroleum products from Barauni of India to Janakpur has been initiated. Nepal Oil Corporation only made it possible.

There would not be lack of petroleum products even in the period of strikes in the East-West highway. As per the recent agreement made with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the petroleum products imported from Barauni will directly be stored in the station based at Sakhuwa of Mahendranagar in Dhanusha district. Raghunath Prasad Shah, former vice chairman of Petroleum Dealers' Association (PDA) who had accompanied NOC's representatives to the Barauni said the direct import of petroleum product from Barauni to Dhanusha had already begun. Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato and NOC executive director Digambar Jha had made it possible for the direct supply of petroleum products to Janakpur which is one of the major commercial hubs in Tarai. The store of petroleum products at Sakhuwa would be increased up to 78, 00000 litres, a source said.

There will be easy supply of petroleum products to the districts including Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Siraha and Sindhuli as equal quantity of petrol, diesel and kerosene would be stored there.

Similarly, the Nobel Gas will import LPG gas directly from Barauni from May 29. NOC has made a plan of supplying the petroleum products to the capital via Sindhuli-Bardibas route from Dhanusha in the hours of bandhs and strikes in the East-West highway. 'Tender notice has already been published to extend the capacity of the storage in Sakhuwa,' PDA former vice chairman, Shah said, adding, 'Developmental activities in Mahandranagar will increase once the capacity of the storage of petroleum products would be extended in Sakhuwa.'

The supply of petroleum products from Amlekhgunj and Raxual to the eastern district will be reduced by some 300 kilometers once it will be supplied from Sakhuwa. The petroleum products are being imported to Sakhuwa via Majaphapur, Sitamadi and Vittamod from Barauni.

As there would be fewer expenses in supplying petroleum products due to shorter distance, it would reduce the price of each product by Rs 2 per litre at least, a petroleum dealer said. The NOC with the adjustment of the supply price has endowed the rights of fixing price of petroleum products to the dealers. However, there is no probability of reducing the price early. It is said that the import cost would further be reduced if Janakpur-Jatahi route had been brought to operation, however, it would not be possible immediately as there is no customs office of India in Janakpur-Jatahi route.