Petrol Chhaina !

"Newly constructed roads are like playing ground, totally wide. Public vehicles are like matchbox, congested. And petrol is like sweat of Dolakha Bhimsen (Idol), too less supply." These were the lines posted in social site Facebook by Kantipur TV News Anchor Roopess Shrestha, satirizing the petrol crisis faced by general people these days. More than hundred people supported his opinion, through hitting likes. Its very eye pleasing to observe the wide lanes of roads across Kathmandu (good sign of development) and comparing it with that of abroad, but at the same time, its very disappointing to see the long lines of cars and motorbikes, queued up in different chowks to fill just few liters of petrol.

Such long queues have been a common sight in capital since few days. The petrol crisis has risen as a major obstacle of day-to-day life faced by general people. As a result, working people are forced to waste their valuable time, which can be utilized in any other productive or fruitful works, just for standing in queues for hours. Its definitely not their choice, but a compulsion. A compulsion to fill their tanks, and to operate their daily work and life. The recent slash of fuel supply by IOC following the inability of Nepal Oil Corporation to clear the outstanding dues worth Rs billions has made the life of general people difficult.

Sona Dahal, a Banker in Everest Bank, waked up at 5 in the morning to attend her college. A resident of Kalanki, she moved to Exhibition Road with reserve petrol in her scooter. Since her duty is in Satungal branch, long distance (around 8 kilometers) from her college, she escaped two classes just to get in queue for petrol. Since Oil Store of Bhadrakali had too long lines till Singhadurbar, she decided to visit Sorhakhutte for few liters of petrol. Though it was already 9:15 am, she reached the pump with big hope, however, returned with a gloomy face after observing the sign board of "Petrol Chhaina" (No Petrol).

Not only 2 important lectures in college, but, she also had to escape lunch as her office-arrival time was 9:30. After running here and there in sunny morning with empty stomach, she felt disturbance for whole day, followed by less concentration in work. She felt her whole morning and even day went futile just due to scarcity of few liters of petrol. She dialed the available numbers of few petrol pumps and concluded to visit them once in evening. Not limited to that, she had to escape from office, half an hour earlier than her regular departure time. She directly reached to Three Brothers Oil Store of New Baneshwor and managed to queue up near Civil Hospital of Minbhawan. She already had a hectic morning and a tiring day, moreover, a difficult evening as well. She felt like the lines were moving as if in turtle race. Utilizing her time in Messenger chat for more than 2 hours, she finally managed to fill her about to-be vacant tank with 5 liters of petrol. She wished to fill more, but who listens? It just remained a demand. Not only she, but hundreds of thousands of people are facing the same fate in Kathmandu since last few days. Some are escaping office hours, and some are missing important works.

Politics is finally in track. Development projects are underway. Nation's economy is gradually getting better.  And everywhere, we can notice a positive sign for better Nepal. These all are the good aspects but the concern is are the common people happy and satisfied? Definitely not ! Who shall be happy to waste their valuable time just for few drops of petrol? Life is not simple in Kathmandu as it seems. It is far difficult, beyond the imagination. Kathmandu challenges the general people and seeks struggle in every step. One has to handle not only education, but his/her profession and family and social responsibilities as well. Market is getting more costly every single day as the inflation rate is in peak. A note of rupees 100 cannot buy a bag full of vegetables. Today, an individual cannot sustain his/her life depending just on a single job. He/She needs to run here and there, should work in multiple offices, engage in many projects at same time, work hard either in early morning or late night, cover extra long distances for works and many more. And, the sole objective is only to have bread and butter. In this process, own means of transportation plays a vital role to ease this daily hectic schedule. But the prevailed petrol crisis has only added a headache to the general people, an obstruction to the right of bread and better. 

A student should miss his/her important class, a teachers should miss lectures, a banker cannot be on duty timely, an officer have to miss an important meeting, a business person cannot operate business smoothly, a trader cannot fulfill demand of clients, a nurse cannot reach hospital in her duty time, vendors cannot supply the materials as per commitment, a wife should wait her husband for long for having dinner together and numerous other instances are created just due to petrol crisis.

General people don't concern about how much outstanding due Nepal Oil Corporation should clear to IOC for sufficient fuel supply. They are less interested in the annual or monthly or even daily loss of NOC in petroleum products. They are indifferent towards the demand of NOC for necessary grant through government or by any other resources. Also, they don't bother to know about the remaining stock of fuel with NOC. Their one and only concern is to have bread and butter. They want an easy living, a simple life. They want to utilize their precious time They don’t want to waste their time in queues. They want to be busy in own works and businesses. They want to operate their daily activities smoothly. And one and only way out is petrol crisis to be resolved at the earliest.