Consumer Rights Advocate Blames Nepal Oil Corporation for Fuel and Gas Shortages Amid Price Hikes

Prem Lal Maharjan, Chairman of the National Consumer Forum, has accused the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) of being primarily responsible for the current shortage of petroleum products and cooking gas in the market, citing managerial weaknesses and a tendency to conceal information.

Speaking at an event marking World Consumer Rights Day, Chairman Maharjan asserted that the gas crisis in the market was not due to international tensions (Gulf War) but rather internal mismanagement.

Chairman Maharjan stated, ‘Normally, 90 bullets of gas arrive daily, but currently, up to 125 bullets are arriving from India. The shortage seen in the market despite increased supply confirms the incompetence of the Nepal Oil Corporation and black marketing in collusion with traders.’ He added that the NOC erred by not providing accurate information even to regulatory bodies like the Department of Commerce.

He objected to traders using the Gulf War as an excuse to raise edible oil prices by NPR 50 to NPR 100 per liter. ‘Edible oil does not come from the Gulf countries; it comes from countries like Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Such arbitrary price increases for oil when fuel prices rise is looting consumers.’

He noted that a price increase of NPR 15 when international crude oil prices reached $103 per barrel could be considered normal. However, he expressed concern over the rising smuggling of goods, from fertilizer to gold, which affects healthy competition.

He mentioned that political threats against employees and administration are beginning to surface on the verge of forming a new government. ‘Orders and threats telling the administration to do this and not do that are being heard, which could further destabilize the market,’ Maharjan said.

The event was attended by Narahari Tiwari, Director of the Department of Commerce, Dinesh Shrestha, President of the Kathmandu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Bishwa Bajracharya, President of the Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Speakers emphasized that both the state and the private sector must be responsible for protecting consumer rights.