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Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Monday, 20 June 2022 04:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Common sight in the country. A long fuel queue in Colombo yesterday – Pic by Ruwan Walpola
The Government’s struggle to deal with growing fuel shortage and queues continued as public outcry worsened with fears over minimal supply in the next few days.
In response the Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera appealed to the public not to queue up for next three days saying proper distribution will only be restored by Thursday. Separately the Government is also mulling a new scheme to supply fuel to three-wheelers and motorcycles.
This will be based on the respective number plate’s last digit.
Discussions were also held with the officials of the relevant Ministries and Institutions to formulate a special program to provide fuel and electricity required for the Fisheries, Agriculture, Plantation Industries, Export Industries, Small and Medium Scale Industries to continue uninterrupted.
These frantic measures including securing new sources of supply from overseas came as thousands of people and motorists languished for days in long queues.
The People’s Bank has opened a Letter of Credit (LC) for $ 42.6 million to purchase a shipment of 300,000 barrels of 92 Octane petrol. The Ministry said 41,000 metric tons of 300,000 barrels of petrol will be imported soon from a new supplier.
Minister Wijesekera told the media that the fuel shortage was due to the high demand and hoarding of fuel by the people even though the required fuel is imported every 10 days.
The website launched last week to showcase the availability of fuel filling stations has been temporarily shut down from Saturday night. Violence was also reported from various parts of the country over the weekend, as the State sector was given priority to refill fuel, whilst thousands of people waited in long queues for days.
In addition, social media videos showed several vehicles were seen obtaining jerry cans of fuel directly from a Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Lanka IOC fuel bowsers, whilst Policemen also took money from motorcyclists to cut across the queues and refill tanks.
On Saturday, Minister Wijesekera announced that the license of three fuel bowsers has been suspended with immediate effect.
He said the suspension was enforced by CPC and LIOC pending further investigations into three incidents reported on social media about illegal unloading fuel.
Separately, the LIOC Indian also announced that strict measures will be taken against unethical fuel distribution.
A vehicle with a sticker of doctors was seen obtaining jerry cans of fuel directly from a Lanka IOC fuel bowser along Marine Drive, whilst thousands of motorists were lined up in queues to refill. Another video showed several cans being loaded into a red van from a CPC bowser.
Minister Wijesekara appreciated everyone who brought illegal activities to their notice.
Tense situations were also reported from around the country such as Athurugiriya, Kurunegala, Madurankuliya, Visuwamadu, and Puttalam as Government officials and police personnel were given priority or had separate queues to obtain fuel from fuel stations. The motorist alleged that the State sector workers were misusing their privileges, calling it unfair.
Videos showed how people gathered in queues were manhandled by police personnel and army in many parts of the country, from Friday. Incidents were reported from Athurugiriya, Maspotha in Kurunegala, Madurankuliya, Visuvamadu in Mullaitivu, and Puttalam.
Yesterday morning, the Public Security Ministry Secretary directed Sri Lanka Police to use ‘minimum force’ to control unruly situations at fuel stations.
The Ministry said that the directive was issued to maintain law and order in areas where protests are reported.
It added that a discussion took place on Saturday on seeking military assistance to control such situations.
The Education Ministry on Saturday announced that all schools within the Colombo Zone and suburbs as well as the schools located in the main cities of other provinces will remain closed from 20 to 24 June given the fuel crisis.
Separately, the Ceylon Teachers’ Service Union yesterday claimed that steps have not been taken to provide fuel for teachers engaged in O/L paper marking.
“Many issues have arisen as to how teachers will report to paper marking centres amidst the fuel crisis. The buses and trains are overcrowded due to the lack of public transportation. If public transportation does not function properly, the Government must provide an alternative method of transportation,” CTSU Chief Secretary Mahinda Jayasinghe said.
He also said that teachers have been waiting in queues for four to five days to obtain fuel, adding that they received information about a teacher being assaulted after obtaining fuel without waiting in line.
Jayasinghe cautioned that the failure to provide fuel will result in teachers withdrawing from paper marking temporarily.
Meanwhile, Samagi United Trade Union Force (SUTUF) convener and media spokesman Ananda Palitha called on the Government to initiate discussions with Russia at least in the interim to obtain fuel at a low cost.
“Public transportation has been disrupted completely due to the fuel shortage. It is questionable that diplomatic officials have not been directed to hold discussions with Russia to obtain fuel at a low cost,” he told journalists yesterday.
He pointed out that gas and fuel can be obtained through such measures at least in the interim to stop the economy from coming to a standstill.
In the first four months of this year, Sri Lanka has spent $ 1.92 billion on fuel imports up by 38% from the corresponding period of 2021. Of that, refined petroleum imports amounted to $ 1.55 billion, up by 49.7%, and coal shipments up by 102% to $ 256 million. Between January and March (1Q) fuel imports were up 44.5% to $ 1.4 billion. In terms of quantity, refined petroleum and other imports were down by 14% to 1.18 million tons.
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera confirmed the Government requires a total of $ 554 million to import fuel required for this month, whilst reiterating that negotiations are currently underway to secure a new credit facility from India worth another $ 500 million.
Last week, the Cabinet-appointed Sub-Committee approved entering into agreements with two companies to import petrol and diesel in the long term.
The moves come with only three more scheduled shipments – two carrying petrol and one diesel due in the country for this month. One of the petrol shipments was due yesterday, while the diesel and the other petrol ships are due next Friday. In addition, two crude oil shipments are also scheduled to arrive on 29 June.
