John Wilbert & Trinath
Port Blair, Dec 09: The Middle Andaman region have been facing shortage of fuel, especially petrol since last five days. According to information received here the Rangat Petrol pump stopped giving fuel to small fuel outlets of Middle Andaman region since last few days putting many people in deep trouble.
This is worth mentioning here that in entire North and Middle Andaman there are only three major petrol pumps one each at Rangat, Mayabunder and Diglipur. While the petrol pumps of Mayabunder and Diglipur are run by ANIIDCO, the Rangat petrol pump is run by a private party.
Worst sufferers of this fuel crisis are the residents of Betapur to Tugapur area, where fuel is largely supplied by small fuel outlets, which ran out of petrol in last few days.
When contacted Chief Terminal Manager Indian Oil told Andaman Sheekha that the Indian Oil is sending three oil tankers every day to North and Middle Andaman and it is the petrol pump operators who decide, whether the oil tankers will carry petrol of diesel.
“What we have observed that in last few days there were requisitions for mostly diesel and this might be the problem behind the shortage of petrol,” the Chief Terminal Manager Indian Oil added.
He said that as per demands by the petrol pump operators oil tankers are filled with petrol of diesel, one day before dispatch.
However, he said that today three oil tankers carrying 12,000 ltrs petrol left for Diglipur, Mayabunder and Rangat and hence there won’t be fuel crisis now at North and Middle Andaman.
However, when contacted, Senior Manager ANIIDCO told Andaman Sheekha that this time requisition for petrol was sent to IOCL on 5th December 2020 and after continuous follow ups today oil tanker carrying petrol was sent for Rangat and Diglipur.
“It is the duty of IOCL to supply fuel to petrol pumps. We have got reports that by evening oil tankers crossed Kadamtala area, which means by night it will reach Mayabunder and Diglipur and hence there won’t be any crisis from tomorrow. Anyway petrol shortage was only reported from Mayabunder, as far as ANIIDCO’s petrol pumps are concerned. For next time the requisition has already been submitted from now so that in coming days also there is no crisis of fuel,” he said.
