Vehicle breakdowns

Ever since the issue of large numbers of Euro 6 diesel vehicles breaking down have come to the fore, the reaction of the responsible officials has been a mix of defensiveness and denial.

The common refrain has been that no written official complaint has been filed on the vehicles or the fuel quality issue.

Here, firstly, the officials are partly right on the complaints part as though the problems started from 2022 itself, neither vehicle dealers nor their customers approached the right authorities.

This says something about our reluctance to complain even about important issues to the right authorities. The first proper complaint was filed only in April 2024.

However, on the other hand, the problems should not be a great mystery to the authorities as the main victim of the breakdowns are government vehicles.

The reluctance is one issue, but the bigger issue is a big rush to deny the problem taking an Ostrich like approach.

It was this paper that over two years and more than a dozen articles highlighted how Bhutan was being overcharged for fuel. Prior to that the responsible officials were happy with the status quo and even defended it for a while.

However, when the message finally got through our officials led by the former MoEA Minister did act and the Indian government graciously made the right moves which led to a major reduction in fuel prices.

The big question now is on the quality of the diesel fuel and its potential impact on the sensitive Euro 6 engines.

Given the enormity of the problem it is the need of the hour that the quality of fuel be tested at all levels from the import trucks to the fuel stations and detailed investigations be carried out on why Euro 6 diesel vehicles are not doing well in Bhutan.

You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously.
J. Donald Walters