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CPC diesel only enough for 4 days

02 Mar 2022

 
  • Govt. to reduce diesel stocks released daily
  • Gammanpila says new shipment will arrive today
  • Cabinet approves 1.8 mn barrels of petrol import from UAE co. for 8 months till Oct.
  With long lines of consumers seen stuck at fuel pumping stations yesterday (1), Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila said that the diesel stocks currently available with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) are only sufficient for the next four days. “We have 22,000 metric tonnes (MT) of diesel at the moment and that is enough for the next four days. Due to this reason, we have limited the amount of diesel we will release per day. We have decided that we will release 5,000 MT today (2) and only 3,000 MT tomorrow (3),” said Gammanpila while speaking to the media yesterday. He said that a new shipment of diesel is due to arrive in the country this evening. “When the banks are refusing to give loans to us, when the Government is refusing to provide relief to us, and when the taxes on fuel are not being removed, how can I bring fuel into the country?” questioned Gammanpila. He said that the fuel crisis in the country would be solved if the US dollar crisis is solved. “There is a shortage of dollars and that is the problem.” Energy Ministry Additional Secretary and Media Secretary Chaminda Hettiarachchi, speaking to the media yesterday, said that it is difficult for the ministry to assure a certain date, as to when the shortage issue will be resolved. Meanwhile, the Cabinet has decided this week to grant a contract to M/S OQ Trading Ltd. in the UAE to import 1.8 million barrels of petrol for a period of eight months till October.  Long lines of consumers at filling sheds were seen in almost every district yesterday, with lorry drivers and bus drivers who operate long distances, claiming while speaking to the media, that they were forced to take their meals while waiting in line, and being forced to drive the next day without any rest. The Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) has stated that most buses can only operate during peak hours (office opening and closing hours) due to the shortage of diesel. The Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments, and Motor Car Industry State Ministry has promised to supply fuel to private buses from the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) depots. Fishermen, three-wheeler drivers, and farmers are also suffering due to the crisis, as they find it difficult to find fuel for the operations of their respective sectors. Last week, Gammanpila admitted in Parliament that the ongoing dollar crisis has led to a challenging situation with regard to fuel imports. The CPC, through the Energy Ministry, has been requesting a fuel price hike from the Government. The present challenges have been aggravated since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, following which crude oil prices in the global market rose to an all-time high since 2014. However, at the special cabinet meeting on 22 February to discuss the power and energy crises, it was decided not to revise fuel prices and for the Government to settle a payment of Rs. 80 billion to the CPC for the continuous supply of fuel. The Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) has increased its fuel prices twice this month – the latest being for diesel by Rs. 15 per litre and for petrol by Rs. 20 per litre.


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