Fuel stock depletes, rationing starts
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 18 2012:
Petrol stock of the State is again on the threshold of hitting rock bottom within a week.
Rationing of fuel has started with IOC notifying fuel allocation to pumps on rotational basis.
Information received from the State Level Co-ordinator of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) said, by this morning, only 755 KL of petrol was left at Oil Depot, Chingmeirong.
If necessary measures are not taken up soon, the stock would last only eight days as the State needs around 90 KL of petrol daily, he added.
With directives from the Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution Department, he said, limited petrol allocations would be made to petrol pumps from July 18 .
However, the State has enough stocks of diesel and SK oil.
At the Oil Depot, Chingmeirong this morning, there was 3479 KL of diesel and 2572 KL of SK oil which will last several days,
he informed.
He added that at Sekmai gas bottling plant, 167 metric tonnes of LPG are there which is the stock for only two day's supply, while at Tulihal Airport, 467 KL of ATF fuel is left.
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The IOC official said that the main reasons for depleting petrol stock are cleaning up of a storage tank at Oil Depot, Chingmeirong in May this year and the recent bandh clamped by Southern Angami Youth Organisation (SAYO) on NH-2 for nine days.
Even as the SAYO sponsored nine days bandh has just been lifted, United Naga Council (UNC) is slated to call another 96-hour bandh in Naga inhabited areas starting midnight of July 23 .
As such, the IOC official also cited panic buying as another reason petrol pumps running out of stock.
He added that the situation would become worse in case UNC extends its bandh.
On the other hand, talking to The Sangai Express over the phone, UNC president L Adani said that there would not be any change on the proposed stir.
He however did not mention about further extension of the bandh.