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Gasoline shortage hits Kanchanpur
Gasoline shortages have started to appear here with India holding up the passage of oil tankers at the border.Bhawani Bhatta
Gasoline shortages have started to appear here with India holding up the passage of oil tankers at the border.
According to the regional office of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), Indian authorities have been
delaying the clearance of Nepal-bound tankers at Gauriphanta customs point which has led to shortages in the region.
Sharad Paudel, the regional chief of NOC, said delays at the depot of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) in Banthara and Gauriphanta customs point had created shortages in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts.
“Although the loaded tankers were supposed to arrive by 11am, they came only late in the evening,” he said.
On Thursday, NOC officials had gone to the border themselves to oversee the clearance of 22 oil tankers. According to him, there were delays on Friday too.
“Indian customs officials have been holding up the clearance of the oil tankers saying that they needed to wait for the go-ahead from their higher-ups.”
Despite the restriction on the shipment of cargo, India has been permitting the movement of local people across the border.
Sub-Inspector of Police Rajendra Bahadur Chand, the in-charge of the Unit Police Office, Gaddhachauki, Kanchanpur, said the Indian authorities had increased security checks of people travelling across the border.
As in the past, locals have been hopping across the border to India to purchase daily essentials.
People who have travelled to India to work have also been seen returning through the border point.
Fearing that India might seal the border, locals have been stocking up on gasoline.