August 4: Nepal Oil Corporation has given permission to 23 tankers to transport aviation fuel by ignoring its own bylaws. It has been learnt that NOC secretly issued permission for the transportation of fuel from Raxaul to Sinamangal by violating the provision of the Petroleum Transportation Regulation 2073.

With the approval, the state-owned oil monopoly has violated its  bylaws. Some entrepreneurs have approached the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) against this decision.

There is a provision in clause 3 of the bylaw that the corporation has to publish a 30-day notice in a national daily regarding an invitation for bid to acquire service from interested individual or company. Last June, the corporation gave permission to the same tankers that were earlier denied permission  for  not completing the due process.

In 2017, the corporation had given permission to 32 tankers for fuel transport without any notice. However, the corporation itself revoked the permission after Nepal Petroleum Transport Entrepreneurs warned about agitation. The entrepreneurs had approached CIAA at that time as well.

The entrepreneurs say that the tankers were given permission taking the advantage of lockdown. The corporation has again given the permit without issuing any public notice. A complaint has been filed at the CIAA alleging that the high level officials of the corporation have given approval by taking bribe.

Spokesperson of NOC, Binit Mani Upadhayay said that the temporary permission was given by the Board of Directors. He claimed that the right of way out is in the hands of BOD if there is any difficulty in making and implementing the laws. “The BOD has the right to eliminate obstacles in the formulation and implementation of the bylaws. The approval has been given as per the decision of the board,” he told New Business Age.