Thursday Nov 21, 2024
Thursday Nov 21, 2024
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Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila yesterday assured that the country has sufficient stocks of fuel till January 2022, urging people not to panic and be deluded by speculations.
“Like last time people have fallen into the same trap of unverified speculations by certain groups. As the Energy Minister, I assure that there are sufficient stocks and uninterrupted supply of fuel till January. Thus, I urge people not to be fooled by these unreliable statements,” he told journalists yesterday.
The Minister explained that the long queues evident in most provinces yesterday were due to panic stockpiles, as fuel stations get refill bowsers only every other day.
“When everyone goes and pumps fuel in a day, stocks at stations reduce and that is not due to a shortage, but a reflection of overwhelming and artificial demand. The fuel stations aren’t refilled on a daily basis, it happens every other day,” he quipped.
Gammanpila also assured that the fuel prices will not be increased any soon, despite the increase in crude oil prices in the global market.
Despite the Energy Minister’s stand, Lanka IOC yesterday jacked up prices by Rs. 5 per litre on auto diesel and petrol 92. State controlled Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is yet to announce a hike though it urged the Government to allow an upward revision.
When asked if there will be an immediate upward price revision in the country, as oil prices in the world market is increasing at rapid pace, Minister Gammanpila said that any such decision will be announced in advance.
“If there is going to be a price revision, I will be the first person to inform the public. Hence, do not get misled by these rumours,” he added.
The Minister also said they still did not get any response from the Finance Ministry to the request made to increase prices or to provide a concession to maintain prices at same levels.
Meanwhile, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) trade unions claimed that there is a shortage of crude oil in the country.
“When there is a shortage of crude oil, we will have to import refined oils and do we have the financial capacity to do so?” CPC Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) Secretary Ananda Palitha questioned.
He said a shipment of 40,000 tons of petrol was unloaded on Wednesday, but there was no sign of consignment of diesel in the near future.
