Kathmandu, March 11

UCPN-Maoist-aligned All Nepal National Independent Students Union-Revolutionary and Young Communist League today demanded that action be taken against the Nepal Oil Corporation for allowing privately-owned Birat Petroleum Pvt Ltd Limited to sell petrol at Rs 130 per litre.

Issuing a joint statement here today, chief of the YCL, RC Sharma and chairman of All Nepal National Independent Students Union-Revolutionary Ramesh Malla said Birat Petroleum Pvt Ltd was allowed to charge Rs 31 more per litre petrol even as the supply of petroleum products from India had eased.

“On the one hand, the government is creating an artificial crisis of petroleum products and on the other Birat Petroleum Private Limited has been allowed to sell petrol at a higher cost,” read the statement, adding the government should scrap the licence awarded to the Birat Petroleum Pvt Ltd to sell petroleum products.

The student and youth wings of the Unified CPN-Maoist has also demanded that the Kalimati-based Mali Oli Store, Gairigaun-based Valley Rikesh Oil Store and Tripureshwor-based Jayanti Oil Store be sealed.

“Despite our warnings, black-marketing of fuel continues. Moreover, Nepal Oil Corporation has allowed Birat Petroleum Private Limited to sell sell petrol at a higher rate than the NOC. This is a mockery of the rule of law,” it said.

They also warned of protest if the government failed to take action against the NOC and people involved in black marketing of petroleum products.