Trade unionist alleges long queues due to restrictions on releasing of fuel

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera kept on saying that adequate stocks of petrol and diesel were being released to the market, but the country continues to experience serious shortages of fuel.

There are long queues for both petrol and diesel in Colombo, its suburbs as well as in the Provinces.

Opposition trade union leader Ananda Palitha yesterday (23) alleged that although the CPC and IOC had sufficient stocks of diesel and petrol, adequate quantities were not released as the government was unsure of fresh procurement once the stocks were depleted.

Palitha, who served the government petroleum sector for nearly 40 years before retiring recently said that the Power and Energy Ministry should immediately do away with restrictions on the releasing of petrol and diesel.

Responding to another query, Palitha emphasised that the market couldn’t be controlled by imposing restrictions.

Such measures would only help create black market, he said.

According to the Samagi Jana Balavegaya activist, the petrol and diesel stocks now available and the consignments that were to be unloaded within the next several days would meet the demand for both products for nearly a month each. Palitha said that such stocks included both those obtained through the Indian credit line and other purchases. “Both Ceypetco and Lanka IOC have approximately 120,000 mt of petrol and diesel 157,000 mt in their depots.

Ceypetco Chairman Sumith Wijesinha was not available for comment. Lanka IOC spokesperson, too, didn’t answer his mobile phone.

Palitha questioned Power and Energy Minister Wijesekera’s efforts to improve the situation by threatening to suspend the supply of petroleum products to filling stations affected by violent incidents. The trade unionist pointed out that the young minister should realise that there were protests because the government had imposed restrictions on supplies. “Why should consumers and service station owners be made to suffer due to the government’s folly?” Ananda Palitha asked.

Commenting on the possibility of another fuel price increase, Ananda Palitha said that Lanka IOC was seeking another price revision. Referring to Minister Wijesekera’s recent statement on the need for Ceypetco and Lanka IOC to have a common pricing formula, Ananda Palitha asked for how long the government could delay another upward revision.

Ananda Palitha said that the government should without further delay take the public into confidence and tell them about IMF conditions.

With pressure mounting on service stations, the government has deployed both police and the military to control angry crowds. At Badulla over the weekend, an argument among those waiting at a fuel queue led to a person’s neck being slashed. The police identified him as a private bus worker.

Police spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa alleged that some organised groups were trying to cause unnecessary friction among consumers. The police were aware of the situation, the official said, urging the public not to fall prey to rabble rousers.

Newly-appointed Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday said that his first priority would be to meet the fuel requirement of the farming community. The SLFPer said that he would discuss the issue at hand with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Minister Wijesekera. Severe shortage of fuel had hindered farming activities, the minister said.