Oil-starved Nepal seeks suppliers to bring fuel by air

KATHMANDU: Nepal has issued a notice seeking suppliers to bring in fuel by air or by any other means to ease the situation ahead of the biggest festival celebrated in the Himalayan nation. The notice published by the state-run Nepal Oil Corp has asked suppliers to submit proposals to supply gasoline, kerosene and diesel and aviation fuel to the capital Kathmandu by air or by land. Nepal has been hit by fuel shortages since last month amid ethnic protests in the south and an unofficial blockade by India stopped the flow of oil tankers and trucks into the country. The blockade has caused disruptions in transportation and schools to shut down. Hospitals are also running low on medicine. Dasain, a major Hindu two-week festival, begins next week. -TOI