Industries shut to protest dual pricing for diesel

BIRATNAGAR, Dec 21: 

Industrialists of eastern Nepal shut down all the industries along Morang-Sunsari corridor on Tuesday to protest dual pricing for diesel introduced by the government 10 days ago.

They have warned of picketing the Biratnagar-based regional office of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) everyday beginning Wednesday if the government fails to rollback the prices and revert to the single price regime. 

On Dec 10, the NOC had decided to slap different rates on diesel, which had raised the fuel price meant for industries, hotels, hospitals and diplomatic missions to Rs 95 per liter, leaving oil meant for general public and transport sector unchanged at Rs 76 per liter. 

Since that time, industrialists led by Morang Trade Association (MTA) and the Chamber of Industries (CoI), Morang have been staging various forms of protests, including boycott of petroleum products sold by the NOC.

On Tuesday, these industrialists closed down more than 500 large, small and medium industries located in industrialized zone along Morang-Sunsari corridor. 

“We had to resort to this measure to draw attention of the government,” Dinesh Golchha, president of the CoI, Morang, told Republica.

The closure has affected business transactions worth Rs 150 million, according to Abhinash Bohra, president of MTA.

“It would be unfortunate for the country´s industrial sector if the government fails to address our demands despite knowing cost of the closure,” he said, adding, “It is not appropriate to transfer the financial burden on us citing that the NOC is generating losses.”

Source: Republica