- Title: NEPAL: Transport strike over fuel price cripples Nepal
- Date: 23rd June 2008
- Summary: :(W3) KATHMANDU, NEPAL (JUNE 23,2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF KATHMANDU STREETS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ALONG PAVEMENTS AND ROAD BOY SLEEPING AT A BUS STOP PASSENGER USING A RICKSHAW (SOUNDBITE) (Nepali) BUSINESSMAN NARENDRA KUMAR SAYING: "So far as the difficulty is concerned, there is recent price rises for everything, besides, one has not been able to use the facilitie
- Embargoed: 8th July 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nepal
- Country: Nepal
- Topics: Domestic Politics,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVAAGYV97XZAMH90YPFAN3SP3GQX
- Story Text: Nepal's transport businesses call an indefinite strike following disagreement with government over price rises following an increase in fuel costs.
Thousands of passengers were stranded across Nepal on Monday (June 23) as transport operators locked public buses and other vehicles in garages demanding a 35 percent hike in transport fares after recent increases in fuel prices.
The state-run Nepal Oil Corporation raised diesel and petrol prices by about 25 percent this month to cut losses due to surging global oil prices.
Transport operators quickly raised public transport fares by between 25 and 35 percent, but the government allowed them only a 25 percent hike.
Operators say this was not enough.
In Kathmandu, local business man, Narendra Kumar said that fuel was still in short supply despite the rise in prices.
"So far as the difficulty is concerned, there is recent price rises for everything, besides, one has not been able to use the facilities even by paying the hiked price." Kumar said.
While student Toofan said that he had no idea how long the strike would last for.
"There has been lots of difficulties, nobody knows what sort of problems arise at what time, everytime we need to walk for a day or two; how long it will go on like this (nobody knows)" he said.
Speaking to Reuters, Achyut Lohani said that the Nepali governement should speak to all concerned parties before making decisions over price rise caps.
"At such a context the government should take care not to repeat such problems by consulting all the concerned bodies before giving decisions to people, and the government should play a balanced role." Lohani said.
On Thursday (June 19), angry student protesters shouting "withdraw the fuel price hike" marched in the streets of the capital throwing stones on passing vehicles and disrupting rush hour traffic.
Highways on Monday were empty as drivers stayed home at the start of the strike.
Nepal imports about 800,000 tonnes of oil from India and owes millions of dollars to the state-run Indian Oil Corporation, the sole supplier of fuel.
The issue of fuel prices is politically sensitive in Nepal, one of the world's poorest countries.
The latest crisis comes as political parties are jockeying to form a new government after elections for a constituent assembly in April.
The Maoist former rebels won a surprise victory in the polls but lacked a majority. They are trying to form a coalition government with other parties.
In January a similar hike in oil prices was withdrawn after fierce protests brought the mainly mountainous nation to a standstill for two days. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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