Fuel supplies back to normal

Rajmi Manatunga

COLOMBO: All steps have been taken to restore the fuel supply back to normal, petroleum authorities assured yesterday.

Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development Minister A.H.M. Fowzie said that the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal Ltd (CPSTL) maintained a steady supply of fuel to filling stations even during the recent strike.

Fowzie said that the long queues in front of filling stations was not the result of a fuel shortage but was due to the fear of another strike.

"During the last two days alone CPSTL has released nearly twice the normal daily supply of fuel to filling stations islandwide. But these supplies are quickly exhausted because people purchase excessive amounts of fuel anticipating another strike," he said.

The Minister said that the total loss suffered by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) owing to the strike has not been estimated yet.

"However, we have lost around Rs three million as a result of an act of sabotage where certain people had damaged the distribution pipe of an oil storage tank."