The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Dry run in petrol stations in Tuticorin

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Tuesday, Jun 03, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Dry run in petrol stations in Tuticorin

R. Vimal Kumar

For the third consecutive day

— Photo: N. Rajesh.

SCARCITY: People thronging a petrol station in Tuticorin on Monday.

Tuticorin: Tale of woes continues for the motor vehicle users as most of the fuel stations in the town turned dry for the third consecutive day on Monday.

With the fear of steep hike in prices of petroleum products looming large, filling stations began to run dry after panic buying by motorists.

According to pump operators, the situation had arisen after there were short supplies from the oil companies during the last few days against the sudden disproportionable increase in demand.

Officials at a few pump stations situated along Tuticorin-Kollam state highway told The Hindu that the oil companies had been supplying petrol and diesel much lesser than the quantity that they had sought to meet the spurt in demand. Besides, the motorists, especially two-wheelers, who usually prefer to purchase only few litres, were filling tanks.

Hence, within a few hours of the arrival of fresh supplies, fuel stations were turning dry.

Since Saturday, long queues had been common in the fuel stations as soon as they received loads. Customers were stockpiling fuel by filling up jerry cans as much as possible.

However, a few of the vehicle owners who were contacted felt that the “distributors were creating artificial shortage” at the fuel stations anticipating a fuel hike anytime so that they could sell the old stock at higher prices thereby reaping profit.

An official at a pump near the Cruz Fernando statue denied such apprehensions. “We cannot hide any stock as officials of the Civil Supplies Department and the district administration have been conducting random check at the stations during the last few days.”

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