DOTI: Black marketeering and artificial shortage of petroleum products have been a daily affair in Doti district for the past three months.

Consumers see the hand of petroleum dealers behind such practices. Though petroleum products are not available at pumps, drivers said the dealers had been acquiring petroleum products and selling them at inflated price.

Petrol is being sold for as much as Rs 150 to 200 per litre, according to the drivers. “Petrol is being sold in black market even in front of the office of Nepal Oil Corporation,” they claimed.

“Petrol is ferried in the district during night-time. But one can’t find petrol at the pump these days. Instead, groceries and general stores can be seen selling petrol at inflated rates,” Bir Bahadur Saud of Dailekh said.

There is only one pump in Dipayal.

A week ago, a local trader had offered a team of journalists heading to Achham from Dhangadhi

petrol at Rs 200 per litre.

“We found a shop selling petrol at Rs 200 per litre,” Rajesh Bagchand, one of the journalists in the team, said.

Nar Bahadur Ayer, chief of NOC’s branch office in Dipayal, could not be reached for comments.

“The NOC can’t be accused, as we don’t have a place to store petroleum products,” Hari Saud, a peon at the NOC’s Dipayal office, said, adding, “Local traders might have brought petroleum products from Dhangadhi to sell at inflated price.”

Bam Bahadur Kandel, owner of the local Bam Oil Store, claimed that his pump had never sold petrol at inflated rates. Chairman of Doti chapter of Consumers’ Forum Padam Singh demanded action against persons involved in black marketing of petroleum products.