Consumers Forum lodges complaint at PMO against NOC financial misdeeds

KATHMANDU, JAN 03 -

The National Consumers’ Forum (NCF)has filed a complaint at the Prime Minister’s Office charging financial irregularities at Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) .

The complaint submitted by the forum’s president Prem Lal Maharjan on Wednesday states that the NOC board, motivated by greed, decided to raise the commission being paid to oil transporters and dealers.

The forum has rejected NOC’s claim that the commission of dealers and transporters had been hiked on a scientific basis as recommended by the Transport Management Department. “The claim is not justifiable,” said Maharjan.

The forum has also lodged a complaint at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and the National Vigilance Centre. The consumer rights organization has demanded stern action against the officials involved in the irregularities stating that a hike in the commission would impose a huge financial burden on the state and the public. The state-owned oil monopoly has been groaning under massive debt.

The complaint states that petroleum dealers had raised more than Rs 1 million to bribe NOC officials to pass their agenda. However, the forum has not recommended action against the dealers.

According to the forum, the slush fund was put together with contributions amounting to Rs 600,000 from gasoline dealers in Kathmandu, Birgunj and Biratnagar, Rs 150,000 from Bhairahawa, Rs 100,000 from Pokhara, Rs 75,000 from Nepalgunj and Rs 100,000 from Dhangadhi and Janakpur.  

The complaint addressed to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai states that political interference has paralyzed NOC, and as a result, it was losing its professionalism and its debt liabilities were ballooning with each passing year. “The NOC management was taking advantage of the unstable government,” the complaint said.

The NOC board had hiked the commission of dealers and transporters on Oct 17. However, the management withdrew its decision on Dec 28 after it was condemned by the media. Subsequently, the management formed a probe committee to look into the matter. “The management has formed the committee as an attempt at a cover-up,” the forum said.

Source: The Kathmandu Post