Transport Company Accuses NOC of not Paying Dues

January 4: A transport entrepreneur has complained that the government has not paid its dues incurred while transporting fuel provided by China, when Nepal was facing the unannounced economic blockade imposed by India. Bagmati Petroleum Transportation Company said that it has not received the payment although it had signed an agreement with the state-run Nepal Oil Corporation.

The Chinese government had provided Nepal with 1.3 million liters of petroleum products as grant during the five-month blockade starting from September 2015. The Chinese government itself transported the fuel till Kerung border in Tibet. The fuel was then transported to the capital by Bagmati Petroleum Transportation Company.  

Although the company had signed an agreement with NOC for transporting the fuel at a cost agreed upon by both the parties, the former has said it is yet to receive the amount.

Bagmati Petroleum Transportation Company’s chairman Basudev Dahal informed New Business Age that the company transported 1.3 million liters of petrol to Kathmandu using 137 tankers. Although the price had not been fixed, Dahal said that the government had assured to provide adequate amount for the work.

However, NOC said that the government has provided the fare based on the distance but has not provided an excess amount as demanded by the transportation company. NOC claimed that it had provided Rs 18,000 per tanker which also included allowance for the driver’s food. Authorities at the NOC said that the transportation company has demanded Rs 50,000 per tanker as transportation charge.