Fuel Crisis In Kathmandu
Long Lines for petrol with empty tanks increasing. Seems no way out of this fuel crisis in Kathmandu.The petrol shortage reached crisis point today with taxi drivers blocking off main roads into Kathmandu city and clashing with police.
In a world where oil and petrol is an increasingly valuable commodity, Nepal is experiencing what perhaps the rest of the world will have to endure in the future, a very limited fuel supply. Nepal's situation however has been brought on by the Nepal Oil Company's inability to pay for the oil and natural gas it recieves from India. These bills have mounted so high that India recently refused to sell Nepal enough petrol. The government stepped in to reduce the bill last month but it appears we have quickly consumed the little petrol available. The situation wasn't helped by the truck drivers who transport the oil striking last week either. Instead of increasing the price of fuel in line with global oil prices Nepal has subsidized it
. So while the bill from India per gallon has grown increasingly larger, the intake from the bowser has remained the same. Put the two together and you have severe fuel crisis and some very agitated drivers, particularly those that make a living from driving.
For months the fuel lines have been growing longer. In the few weeks I have been here I have been amazed how far the lines, of mainly taxes or motorbikes, stretch. Only a few days ago did I reflect on how patiently the drivers seemed to wait until the petrol station would open. Taxi drivers have informed us that they have waited over 10 hours in line. There must be a booming black market occurring too. The absence of government or, in particular, UN vehicles in the lines also raises peoples suspicions and doesn't help the situation.
Today seemed like any other day until I stepped out on to our normally fairly quiet road and noticed the traffic lined up down the street. After a quick analysis I decided aaja Nepali bhol chaina (no language lesson today) which was a wise move as I suspect I would be still sitting in a hot and steamy tuk-tuk in the traffic. It turns out the taxi drivers had enough and had blocked off the main road from Patan city into Kathmandu city. I decided to walk to the main road but this turned out to be a lesson in dodging motos and weaving through cars all jammed down the side streets. These streets should really be one way traffic at the best of times, although generally with a bit of squeezing and stop and starting they manage to be two way. When there are hundreds of motorists, buses, bike and people all trying to squeeze down them though it becomes rather chaotic. I've attached a photo of our normally peaceful 'dairy corner' (our curd shop), today it was like a main road
.
In contrast the main road was eerily quiet. Normally a hive of activity, car horns beeping, and people everywhere, today it was deserted. It was afternoon by the time I made it to the spot where the taxi drivers were striking, just in time to see the police charge towards a group batons raised. I wasn't close enough to capture the action but when I walked up the road it was all fairly calm with the police moving the last of the taxis off the road.
It is unclear how this crisis will be resolved. The interim government has previously advised they will not increase fuel prices before the election but clearly, without financial assistance the oil and petrol crisis looks set to worsen.What will be the next step??????
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