Several fuel-loaded vehicles entering through Belahiya checkpoint of Rupandehi have been stopped at the border for two days. Fuel carriers have been stopped at the border since Saturday as the Indian Customs Office has not updated the system.
At present, there is a long queue of vehicles carrying fuel at the Nepal-India border. The import of petroleum products to Nepal has been stopped since Saturday due to delays in updating the system used by the Indian Customs Office.
According to the Bhalwari depot of Nepal Oil Corporation, petroleum products brought to Nepal have been stopped at the border after the Indian Customs Office made entry in AD code mandatory for export.
“The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has to keep the AD code. But the Indian Customs has not updated the code, which resulted in the obstruction of the fuel supply,” said Naba Binod Pokharel, chief of Nepal Oil Corporation’s Bhalwari depot.
According to the Bhairahawa Customs Office, 40-50 fuel tankers are coming through Bhairahawa Customs daily but none arrived on Saturday and Sunday.
“Imports have been stopped due to some changes in the IOC system. It will be easier soon,” said Gyanendra Raj Dhakal, chief of the Bhairahawa Customs Office. He said that the customs office and Nepal Oil Corporation are coordinating to ease the supply.
As the old AD code will be removed when the Indian Customs Office updates the system, due to non-confirmation of the same code, oil has not reached the depots across the country. Around 75 loaded diesel and petrol tankers coming through Belahiya have been stopped at the border.
The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has said that it has received information that the problem will be resolved by Monday night.
Source : TRN,
