Fuel stock set for improvement
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 30, 2011: After passing through a critical phase marked by acute shortage of petroleum products following prolonged blockade on highways last year, fuel oil stocks at Chingmeirong oil depot have improved considerably in the last two months.

However, some fuel retail outlets maintained that there is still shortage of diesel as diesel allocations are not being made regularly.

Speaking to media persons at Hotel Classic this afternoon, IOC Director (Marketing) GC Daga stated that there is adequate quantity of petrol, diesel and kerosene in stock but LPG stock at the bottling plant has diminished following suspension of bulk transportation of LPG in the aftermath of the Karbi Anglong shooting incident.

GC Daga arrived here today leading a team of IOC officials to interact face to face with Government officials, retail outlets, LPG transporters and distributors about the situation of petroleum products in Manipur.

He claimed that there is petrol for 12 days� use in stock, diesel for 11 days� requirement and kerosene for 22 days.

Informing that the IOC has persuaded the Government of Assam to provide security escorts for LPG bulk transporters following the Karbi-Anglong incident, Daga conveyed that the IOC has asked the LPG transporters to call off their agitation.

The Sekmai bottling plant can stock LPG for 10 days� use.

This plant would be upgraded by December next year so that it can stock LPG for 30 days� requirement, the IOC Director (Marketing) said.

To shift the Chingmeirong oil depot to Malom, the IOC has bought the requisite land and fencing work for the new depot campus has been already initiated.

The Government has also been asked to obtain environmental clearance.

The new oil depot which would be completed by next year would have capacity to stock petrol for 60 days.

To a query about black marketing of petroleum products in the open, GC Daga categorically stated that it is the responsibility of the State Government to check black marketing of petroleum products.

As for the quality of petroleum products, IOC and other agencies are monitoring it.

At present, 300 tankers are being used for transportation of petroleum products and 74 bullet tankers for transportation of LPG to Manipur.

Notwithstanding the claim of the IOC that there are adequate quantities of petroleum products in stock, some retail outlets complained that diesel is not being allocated to oil pumps to the required quantity.

Because of the law and order situation and other factors, oil pumps are unable to provide service during night, IOC Director (Marketing) GC Daga noted.

The IOC team who arrived here today included IOC North East Integrated Office GM A Padiyan, LPG Deputy GM AC Sharma, DGM (Ops) P Ambalagan and Chief Retail Outlet Deepak A Barali.

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