Gaighat, June 15

Taking advantage of the ongoing general strike called by Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal, petrol pump operators have created artificial shortage of fuel in the market of Udayapur.

The operators have been selling petroleum products in limited quantity following the RJP-N’s protest programme, made public some days ago, leaving the local consumers in a lurch with an artificial fuel crisis.

The consumers have accused fuel stations of hoarding petroleum products and getting involved in black marketing.

A local, Ramu BK, said that the petrol pumps were ready to provide  as much fuel as the consumers wanted if they paid a high price.

“Black-marketing has started in the name of the bandh,” he added. He also informed that certain people were involved in selling fuel in the markets of Deuri and Gaighat, at a high price.

Vehicles used by political parties for poll campaigning are also facing a hard time due to the artificial fuel crunch in the district.

Candidates of the parties said that they were compelled to buy fuel at an expensive rate.

Meanwhile, Kumar Khadka, an officer at the district administration office, Udayapur, said that his office had not yet received any complaints regarding black marketing of petroleum products in the district.

He further said that action would be taken against fuel stations if they were found involved in creating artificial fuel shortage, by the DAO’s monitoring team.