Residents of Gedu town in Chhukha have been experiencing an erratic supply of fuel and Liquified Petroleum Gas or LPG cylinders. With the fuel depot remaining closed most of the time, residents say they are left with no other option than to travel to Phuentshogling or Chhukha to refuel their cars and gas cylinders. A few of them also buy fuel from nearby shops at higher prices. This has frustrated many residents.
The Fuel Depot in Gedu located just beside the Thimphu-Phuentshogling National Highway remains closed most of the time, running short of fuels and LPG cylinders.
Most residents and travellers along the road can be seen visiting the fuel depot and returning home frustrated.
“I often visit here and at times, I am unable to refuel the vehicle. We buy fuel along the way and can’t trust them as the fuel is mixed. The fuel depot here is always closed. I don’t have any fuel left in my car,” said Leptang, a resident.
“For Gedu residents, the problem is quite manageable. But for people, who come from far places like Tala, Rinchentse, Bongo and many more, they face a lot of problems when there is no fuel,” said Dhiraj Pradhan, another resident.
The issue was also raised during the Dzongkhag Tshogdu sessions but the problem still remains unresolved.
“For Bongo gewog, some of the residents have to travel more than 50 km from here. They face a lot of problems when there is no fuel. Some of them have to leave their vehicles here and book a cab to get back home,” said Tshering Penjor, Bongo Gup.
According to Gedu’s Thromde Thuemi, he has been receiving a lot of complaints about the matter and said the fuel and LPG quota they receive is not enough.
“Since a lot of people rely on Gedu Fuel Depot, the quota that we get from BOD is not enough. We still don’t know why the office concerned is not increasing our quota given the increasing population here. The workers are supplying the fuel and LPG cylinders as and when it reaches here,” said Palay Dorji, Thromde Thuemi.
The in charge of the Gedu Fuel Depot refused to comment on the matter. However, according to the Druk Petroleum Corporation Limited, which is operating the fuel station at Gedu denied the accusation and said they have been providing fuel and cylinders without many disruptions.
They added the recent shortage of fuel and gas cylinders was caused because most of their fuel tanker trucks got stranded in India due to the stricter traffic control measures for the celebration of Republic Day of India.
However, it was learnt the tanker trucks have reached the depot yesterday.
About the fuel quota, the office informed that there is no specific fuel quota for Gedu.
Besides benefiting the travellers along the Thimphu-Phuentshogling highway, the fuel station benefits over 15,000 residents of Bongo, Darla and Getena gewogs.
Passang Dorji
