How petroleum Products was imported in 1988 blockade?

Kathmandu, September 27. In 1988/89 AD, it was a big crisis when India blockade Nepal. During that time, though there were not much vehicles like present day, general public felt extreme shortage of kerosene, diesel, and petrol. Then Panchayat Government conducted campaign in the villages of mid-tarai against the black marketing in border area. Government had tough time dealing the situation at first but it tried hard to ease the situation during blockade period.

So how was petroleum products imported to Nepal? Let's go through a report published in Naya Patrika daily on the blockade of 2045 BS:

During 1988/89, Nepal Oil Corporation, NOC used to purchase diesel and kerosene in minimum quoted price with third country through global quotation and sell them to Indian Oil Corporation, IOC which used to be profitable transaction. NOC then used to purchase petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation fuel, gas, lubricant, oil consumed in jute mill, furniture oil and road pitch from IOC.

Both NOC and IOC were benefited under that circumstance. Trade balance was also maintained as trading was with same country. India also used to buy from Nepal due to difficulty in trading from Arab countries. IOC used to get oil in affordable price while buying from Nepal in Indian Currency than with other countries in dollar. When India blockade Nepal in 1988, NOC bought oil from third countries. NOC bought oil from Russia, Singapore, Iraq, Kuwait and others which were delivered through ship in BajBaj harbor near Kolkata.

Back then, small cargo ship with 30 metric tons capacity was brought. The oil was poured in vertical oil tanker of Indian Entrepreneurs and again transported to Kathmandu distanced by nearly one thousand one hundred kilometers via Indian oil tankers. Indian entrepreneurs charged excessive charge for those oil tankers. Oil tankers brought oil from Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Siligudi and two more open checkpoints with the help of Indian Oil Tankers. Similarly, oil was brought from China also, via Lhasa.    

It used to take 15 days to bring oil from Lhasa to Kathmandu. Aviation fuels were brought from Bangladesh through Nepalese Airline's plane. Nepal Airlines carried oil in drums. Diesels were also brought through Nepal Airlines.

International Civil Aviation Organization has prohibited Airlines to transport fuel in planes. But due to excessive shortage in Nepal, NOC overruled the policy. That oil was used by Internal Airlines, Nepal Airlines and airlines flying towards Bangladesh. International Airlines were informed of shortage of aviation fuel so they used to bring their own fuel. Some used to fill oil in India. As they had to carry their own fuel, they had lessened the number of passengers and quantity of cargos.