Fuel stock diminishes
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 11 2019: Following suspension of transportation of petrol, diesel and LPG along Imphal-Dimapur highway on account of the highway's highly risky condition in Nagaland, fuel and stocks have depleted severely.

Sources informed that the existing stocks of petrol and diesel currently available at IOCL's Malom depot would not last longer than 16 days.

Likewise, LPG stock available at the Sekmai bottling plant would not last more than 14 days.

Contending that some portions of Imphal-Dimapur highway in Nagaland are quite bad and pose serious risk to life, petroleum and petroleum product transporters are refusing to ply on the highway.

Taking serious note of the unfolding situation, a meeting was held this morning with ADGP L Kailun in the chair.

The meeting which was attended by CRPF and IOCL officials, State Government officials proposed sending tankers on Imphal-Jiribam highway.

As proposed by the State Government, IOCL would take up necessary measures to send oil tankers and LPG bullets on Imphal-Jiribam highway but it demands a clearance from the IOCL head-office as transportation charge would rise when tankers take Imphal-Jiribam route, said the sources.

Until and unless a clearance is obtained from IOCL's head-office, tanker would not be able to take Imphal-Jiribam highway.

Even as the meeting discussing about sending oil tankers and LPG bullets on Imphal-Jiribam highway from July 16 is on, tankers and LPG bullets are unlikely take the new route from the proposed date as obtaining clearance from the IOCL head-office would take some time, said the sources.

Notably, it takes around 8 days for an empty tanker to leave Imphal and come back with fuel along Imphal-Jiribam highway.

If the time taken for bringing fuel along Imphal-Jiribam highway is collated with the existing stocks of petrol, diesel and LPG, the State may face scarcity of petrol, diesel and LPG.

In case the possible situation of fuel scarcity becomes a reality, farmers would be hit hard when they have started paddy cultivation works in full swing with the State receiving continual rainfall since the last couple of days, the sources added.

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