BHAIRAHAWA: The state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has been importing petroleum products from India and storing in Bhalwari depo amid lockdown in both the neighbouring countries.

NOC's provincial office at Bhalwari in Rupandehi district said petroleum products are being imported from India even though there are no sales due to the global crisis.

The Oil Corporation's profit has shrunk and it is facing difficulty in managing storage capacity as LPG bullet gas, petrol, and diesel have been entering Nepal on a daily basis from India.

NOC's provincial office chief Suraj Shah said, "There is no problem in importing petroleum products despite government-imposed lockdown in both the neighbouring countries. However, we are faced with storage and supply problem because of the lockdown, added Shah.

He further said that 325 gas bullets entered Nepal during the lockdown. And we are preparing to supply full-filled gas cylinders to ease storage congestion.

Purna Prasad Lamsal, communication officer at the customs office in Bhairahwa, said, "As the government gave priority to essential items including vegetables, fruits, industrial raw material, coal and fuel, import for petroleum products has increased."