CPC sends one million litres of petrol to Jaffna

Rajmi Manatunga

COLOMBO: The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) sent one million litres of petrol to Jaffna yesterday to address the demand for fuel in the peninsula.

CPC Chairman Asantha de Mel told the Daily News that the shipment of petrol which left Colombo yesterday will reach Jaffna within the next two days.

"We have also made arrangements to dispatch 1,000 metric tonnes of diesel from the Trincomalee harbour to Jaffna today. The CPC has taken steps to make sure that fuel is readily available to the people in the area," he said.

According to the Chairman, the Government has so far sent 116,000 metric tonnes of petrol, 8,000 metric tonnes of diesel and 2,000 metric tonnes of kerosene to Jaffna to address the scarcity of fuel reported from the area.

"Presently, fuel is transported to Jaffna using private ships. But owing to the exigency of the situation we decided to hire a ship for six months.

"Once this ship is hired we will be able to expedite the provision of fuel to Jaffna," he added.