John Wilbert &Vikramaditya
Teressa Island, Sept 13: Residents of Teressa Island have been grappling with a fuel shortage for the past month, caused by a delay in the arrival of the cargo vessel supplying fuel. Inhabitants of the remote Teressa Islands report that the Island’s petrol pump is now dispensing a highly limited supply. This has resulted in large numbers of two-wheeler riders thronging the petrol pump daily, with many allotted a mere Rs. 100 worth of fuel. Regrettably, several leave empty-handed due to the dwindling stock.
In contrast, it has come to light that government departments continue to have their diesel reserves. Moreover, residents of Car Nicobar have voiced concerns over the inadequacy of fuel transported to the island for the past two months, which has contributed to the rising panic among the Islanders.
In a discussion with the Andaman Sheekha Daily, a senior staff member of ANIIDCO disclosed that the fuel crunch stems from the unavailability of cargo ships. Both vessels serving the route are currently undergoing maintenance, which is expected to last another month before normal operations resume.
To address the situation, the officer highlighted that the District Administration recently transported 3KL of petrol and 3KL of diesel. Plans are also underway to make alternative arrangements for fuel transportation on the next available cargo ship.
