Better ways to manage fuel crisis

By Jeevan Thiagarajah

Minimising fuel use, eliminating waste and abuse, easing congestion, minimising waiting time, reducing fuel bills, efficient, transparent management and incentivising good practices.

As a Governor in the furthest point of supply we are faced with acute pressure. Hence, I intend on building a coalition of the willing, rapidly of perhaps RMV, CeyPetco, S/Treasury, Governor CBSL, S/Power, Transport Ministry, Moratuwa University, Chambers, Financial Sector, Professional Bodies, and Office of the PM to rapidly arrive at a policy.

• We are faced with serious issues in relation to the issues in the caption.
• While we have no foreign exchange to purchase fuel, there is profiteering with the little we have by Trishaw owners, use of kerosene mixed diesel engines etc.
• Delayed supplies is promoting a black-market.
• Productive time is wasted in fuel lines waiting for supplies.

We need solutions fast.

Hence some options are found below.

1. Allocate a ration of fuel to every vehicle monitored by an app, based on license registration number and number of shed visits per month (e.g., no more than two visits per month). This will compel people to be more economical with their fuel usage but should be done in a way that re-fuelling is convenient. – What role can RMV with Provincial authorities play on this matter?

2. Limit refuelling to area of garaging of vehicle.

3. Registration of trishaws for hire to be continued only if they are with meters. Non- commercial as now.

4. Incentivise use of trishaws with precision recording of fuel for km usage.

5. Management of request for fuel, times, districts, segment users, locations, notify users.   

6. Incentives use of public transport and providers.

7. Provide maximum incentives for electric car assembly, import users.

8. Peak hour and non-peak hour taxes.

9. Incentives space sharing for a fee of private vehicles. I.e., variant of Uber.

10. Industries and individuals and overseas entities in SL earning in foreign currency to be given means for import, payment and use.

11. Constantly assess and allocate fuel use priorities within geographical zones.

12. Collaborative national publicity, awareness, sensitisation campaign.

(The writer is the Governor of Northern Province)