Mustang. With the obstruction of the Beni-Jomsom road of national pride, there is a shortage of petroleum and fuel in Mustang. Due to this, the work of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road of national pride and the development construction projects of the federal, provincial and local levels has been affected.

The Beni-Jomsom road, a national pride road connecting Korala border point, has been completely disrupted for the past six days due to heavy rains and floods and landslides and river erosion in Mustang from September 23. The development projects at the federal, provincial and local levels have been affected due to the obstruction in fuel supply in Mustang.

A diesel petrol pump is in operation at Ghansa of Thasang Rural Municipality-4, the border of Myagdi-Mustang. The fuel stock there is running out. Project Chief Tejaswi Sharma said that only 700 liters of diesel has been received at the petrol pump at Ghansa for the repair of the Beni-Jomsom road, which has been blocked due to floods, landslides and river erosion.

Sharma said that although efforts are being made to repair the road from Galeshwor and Tatopani of Myagdi in a two-way manner, there has been problem due to lack of adequate fuel supply.

The blockade of the Beni-Jomsom road for more than a week has hampered the development works as the diesel stored by the contractors is running out.

According to Rabin Chokhyal, chief of the Infrastructure Development Office, Mustang, the development work has been hampered due to the lack of supply of construction materials and fuel for a long time. Chief Chokhyal said that the development plans have been affected due to the shortage of fuel as the construction materials and fuel are being arranged by the contractors.

Contractor Nabin Sherchan of Gurusangbo Construction in Thasang Rural Municipality said that the development works in Mustang have been in limbo as the transportation of fuel has not been possible due to road blockade and heavy rains since a week. Contractor Sherchan said that he and dozens of other contractors are not in a position to operate their equipment in Thasang due to lack of fuel.

Due to the blockage of the Beni-Jomsom road in Mustang, there is also a shortage of petrol. In Mustang, there is a practice of transporting petrol in barrels from Pokhara and selling it in mineral water bottles, but petrol pipes have been left in the shops that sell petrol in barrels. Black marketing of petroleum products has also started in Mustang after the road blockade stopped the transportation of fuel. It has been found that petrol traders who used to pay Rs 225 per liter in normal circumstances have started selling it at a higher price due to the shortage of fuel.

Similarly, the price of daily essentials has increased along with the shortage of fuel in Mustang.