Praiseworthy Black-marketing!

The black market is often disagreeable. However, if the basic necessities are only available through smuggling, black-marketing is desirable.

Shady dealings of vital supplies—medicines, cooking oils and petroleum—flourished in Nepal after some dissident political forces, especially Madheshis, started obstructing the country’s southern border. After the promulgation of Nepal’s new constitution, the people living in the towns bordering India felt that their demand of constituencies based on population, among other demands, are not met. 

The Madheshis, who have ancestral lineage with India, were also supported by the people from the neighboring Indian towns. They started protesting at the border when the government failed to address their concerns.

Surprisingly, the government of India also landed blockade, though unofficial, thereby restricting the movement of essential goods—foods, medicines, raw materials and petroleum—from entering into Nepal.   

The repeated failure of dialogue between the government and the Madheshis left the border shut for almost 4 months. While every dialogue was a disaster, peoples’ need were being skyrocketed. However, their demands were barely met. As an alternative, people descended to using firewood instead of cooking gas. Likewise, some started to ride on bicycles rather than using motorcycles.

Out of the mundane daily schedule of protesting, some people of the bordering towns—both in India and Nepal discovered an enticing activity of smuggling petroleum across the border. Their newly found cross-border adventure was not only rewarding, but also enticing as it could earn them money that could feed their hungry children. Unlike the protests that could end up claiming their lives, some wise people of the border choose to trade essential goods and petroleum, though illicit, from India to Nepal.

Now, gallons of petrol and diesel are seen everywhere in major towns across the country. They are not available in government controlled fuel centers. One has to stay for several hours of tiresome queue to get the tank refilled. However, at the black market one can easily get the fuel at any desired amount.

Furthermore, buses travelling through the bordering towns are seen to carry gas tanks, petrol or diesel gallons, and other essential goods. Their support has been of paramount importance to the fuel thirsty mid hill towns including the capital city, Kathmandu, of the country.

Although, the black market has soared the prices of some of the essential goods, people have not commented on thinking that those goods are, at least, being available.

The government of Nepal is still inconclusive on addressing the demand of Madheshis thinking that it will lead to the disintegration of the country. Now, it can neither let the illicit trade to foster nor can stop it from happening. At this juncture, only the black market is supplying enough fuel to run most of the vehicles throughout the country.

Sometimes, smuggling is worth praising for.