Gas bullets enter Nepal

Kathmandu, Mar 26

Nine gas bullets stuck at Rupeidiha in India across Nepal-India border in Nepalgunj entered Nepal on Thursday.

The bullets were returning from Gonda gas refilling plant in India on Wednesday afternoon, but the Indian border security SSB had stopped them at the border. When officials of Manakamana Gas and Bheri Gas companies in Banke district, the importers of the gas, tried to pass the vehicles from the Indian customs, SSB did not allow them to enter the country.

However, Chief District Officer of Banke Kumar Bahadur Khadka took initiative following a request from the Nepal Oil Corporation, and talked to the security personnel, thus creating an environment for the bullets to pass.

The chief of the NOC talked to the CDO following our request to assist in bringing the bullets into Nepal, said Madhu Bhandari, a staff of Manakamana Gas Company.

Gas industries in Banke said that the SSB had allowed the bullets to pass the border easily till Wednesday, but they started obstructing the movement from Thursday.

Chief of NOC’s provincial office in Nepalgunj Naba Binod Pokharel said that the bullets came to Nepal after the administration talked to the Indian authorities.

Since India has also imposed lockdown amidst the growing spread of coronavirus pandemic, it will be difficult to send bullets to India, said Pokharel.

The NOC has decided to fill the cylinders half – 7.5 kg gas – owing to the looming threat of the pandemic.

Gas industries in Nepal have said that they have LP gas enough to meet the demand for about three months.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 27 March 2020.