Okhaldhunga, December 28

Black marketing as well as artificial shortage of daily essentials and fuel have gone up at the district headquarters and rural areas of Okhaldhunga district.

It is said that local businessmen charge the customers more than double citing the border blockade. Locals have accused businessmen of hiding goods and creating artificial shortage in the market. The villagers complained that the price for rice, pulses, cooking oil, salt and sugar, among other daily essentials had soared.

The local businessmen have also been accused of being involved in black-marketing of cooking gas, petrol and diesel, among other goods.

Consumers claimed that black-marketing of fuel had soared in cahoots with the district administration. They said the fuel was distributed mostly to the relatives of officials.

Gyanendra Maskey, Chairman at Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Okhaldhunga, claimed the price hike was not black-marketing as goods were bought at higher prices from the place of supply.

Among the 100 cooking gas cylinders brought to the district with the initiative of Okhaldhunga FNCCI, only 28 cylinders were distributed to businessmen. Local Shyam Khadka said the businessmen had hiked the price of cooking gas.

Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Yadav Subedi attributed the situation to the protracted strike and blockade. He said his office would not interfere in the distribution of fuel.