Online Khabar

Kathmandu, November 24. Nepal Oil Corporation’s Bhalbari depot and its chief Dinesh Kumar Yadav have come under the purview of an investigation after revelation that a Kathmandu-based petrol pump (fuel station) had got 12 KL diesel through the depot.

Commerce and Supplies Ministry and Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority have launched separate probes.

It’s not the case of distribution of 12 KL to a certain fuel station alone. In course of probes, it has come to light that the depot had distributed petroleum products to several pumps before this episode came to light.

With the Indian blockade causing a grave shortage of petroleum products, NOC had come up with a plan to distribute oil to Kathmandu-based petrol pumps only through its Thankot depot.

But the NOC itself flouted the rule it had set. It came to light that the Bhalbari depot distributed 12 KL diesel to a Kathmandu-based fuel station, responding to a written order from NOC Executive Director Gopal Bahadur Khadka. After this episode, NOC has recalled depot chief Yadav to Kathmandu.

According to information that Online Khabar has received, the Bhalbari depot distributed 12 KL diesel to Kathmandu-based Sita Care on Asoj 8. The depot had used the tanker numbered Na 2 Kha 5167 to ferry diesel to Sita Care. Five day later, the depot again supplied 8 KL diesel to Sita Care. The same day, the depot supplied 4 KL diesel to Sita Fuel. The Tanker numbered Na 2 Kha 5103 was used to supply diesel to Sita Care and Sita Fuel, according to an NOC source.

NOC Spokesperson Mukunda Ghimire said: We have directed (NOC) depots to distribute oil only in coordination with local administration. Depots do not have the authority to supply oil to Kathmandu directly, he said, adding: They have the authority to distribute oil to dealers.

The ministry concerned is probing into irregularities at the Bhalbari depot, Ghimire said, adding that action will be taken against anyone found guilty.