Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala met here with Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shanker Mukherjee Saturday morning, asking the envoy to take initiative for the smooth resumption of petrol supply to Nepal from India.

Nepal has been reeling under petroleum crisis for the last few days after the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) cut short the supply of petroleum products to the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) by 40 percent.

After the meeting, Suresh Chalise, foreign advisor to the prime minister, told journalists that the problem was expected to be resolved within a few days.

With just enough petroleum stocks left for two days after IOC slashed its supplies on non-payment of dues, the Nepali government has sent an SOS to India.

Industry, Commerce and Supplies Minister Rajendra Mahato met the Indian ambassador Friday, urging the Indian envoy for help.

The NOC owes the Indian firm about 5.96 billion Nepali rupees ( some 85 million US dollars), and the IOC this month refused to send oil until it received 150 million rupees (2.1 million dollars) a month.

Source: Xinhua