Fuel shortage possibility hangs heavy in the air
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 18 2022:
A stark possibility of fuel shortage has surfaced ahead of the Assembly election as petrol has run dry in the high tech oil depot of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) at Malom while diesel stock could last for about 10 days.
IOCL is a major shareholder of the fuel market in Manipur.
According to credible sources from Malom Oil Depot, this limitation is disrupting fuel supply to the retail outlets (petrol pumps) of Manipur.
The sources also informed that all storage tanks at Malom Oil Depot which were used to stockpile Bharat Stage VI petrol have been detached to hoard blended petrol instead.
Saying that there was disruption in the import of blended petrol for three days last week after the stock of Bharat Stage VI petrol in the storage tanks were extracted, the sources continued that the stockpiling of fuel in the depot was again disrupted by the indefinite economic blockade being called by Champhai Block Chief & Chairman Association along the two National Highways of Manipur, thereby leading to fuel depletion.
Due to this fuel shortage, the Malom Oil Depot was able to supply only 20 kilolitres of blended petrol to PCTC filling station at Khuyathong only today and as such there is strong possibility of retail outlets not able to supply petrol to the public from tomorrow.
Other than some big retail outlets of NRL and BPCL, the stock of blended petrol is running low in most of the filling stations.
The sources in the oil depot further stated that about 250 oil tankers are currently stranded at Khatkhati, Assam waiting for the CRPF convoy to enter Manipur.