Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Fuel in short supply at many places

thiruvananthapuram: Reports of an impending hike in fuel prices which triggered panic buying of petrol and diesel last week saw brief shortage of fuel supplies in many parts of the State.

However, oil marketing companies here have denied any restrictions in fuel supplies.

The Ernakulam District Petroleum Dealers’ Association on Tuesday described the supply situation as near-normal.

An official of Indian Oil Corporation, the market leader in Kerala with nearly 800 outlets across the State, said there was no rationing of fuels or any restrictions in supplies.

Other oil marketing companies also denied any restrictions on fuel supplies and ruled out any policy decision, as of now, to restrict or ration petroleum products.

Ernakulam District Petroleum Dealers’ Association president M. Radhakrishnan said there was panic buying during the last week and this saw an overall demand for fuels going up approximately between 10 and 15 per cent. Oil companies appeared unable to plug this gap.

Mr. Radhakrishna said this week the situation appeared near-normal. Supplies reach individual retail oil outlets within 24 hours of placing the order.

The supply of petroleum products also depended on the smooth movement of oil tankers and their availability. While there may have been some shortage in remote areas, centres close to the refinery appeared to have no problem.

Meanwhile, some customers pointed to a trend of oil companies trying to push premium products. Premium petrol and diesel under brand names were available in about 60 per cent of the retail outlets in the State.

In the wake of spiralling crude price, oil companies tend to give preference to supplying premium products over which there were no pricing restrictions.

Several petrol pumps in Kozhikode city have been reporting no stock of petrol for the past two days.

A few of them have put ‘out-of-stock’ notices in front of the outlets.

A major outlet on Bank Road ran out of stock on Tuesday and had to sell the accumulated stock of branded petrol to customers. “Our daily requirement is 6,000 litres. However, we were dispensed only 4,000 litres,” said its supervisor, P.M. Thayarajan.

Petroleum Dealers Association president K.P. Sivanandan said that oil companies had started a sort of undeclared rationing system.

“Most pumps are not getting the required capacity from oil companies,” he said.

Eighty-five petrol pumps function in Kozhikode district. Nearly 25 of them are in the city. “The existing prices of petrol and diesel were fixed when the crude oil rate was $65. Now, the crude oil rate has crossed $130,” Mr. Sivanandan said.

However, oil companies have denied scarcity of petroleum products in Kozhikode city.

“The shortage experienced on Tuesday was on account of the delay in wagon loading in Kochi. Besides, pump owners are not placing the intent on time,” said an official of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd.

Dealers of petroleum and diesel in Thiruvananthapuram district said there has been a delay in receipt or inadequate supply of regular petrol and diesel for the last three weeks. Some petrol bunks of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) in the State capital have already reported dry-out and had to be closed down, an office-bearer of the Thiruvananthapuram Petroleum Dealers Association said.

A dealer in the State capital said he was being provided regular petrol and diesel by the oil companies only on alternate days.

“We are being provided half of what we request for. The move is part of the game of the oil companies to dispense with the expensive branded petrol and diesel. It should also be seen in the context of the move by the oil companies to market only the premium products in the metros to reduce the margin of loss,” he said.

The dealers said they were forced to sell branded petrol and diesel, which costs Rs.3 more a litre, when the stock of regular petroleum products ran out.

There were 100-odd petroleum pumps in Thiruvananthapuram district. The consumption had gone up by 20-30 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The tall claims made by the oil companies that the branded fuel would eventually benefit the consumers in the form of improved mileage, less maintenance cost and reduced emission levels were not true.

“There is no demand for the branded petrol and diesel once it has become dearer by Rs.3,” a dealer said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Bus operators defer stir plan
Haj panel plea
Golf Club fiasco: Chandy blames government
Selected
High wages at Smart City hit coir sector
TDB denies reports
Fuel in short supply at many places
Capital to get quality power
A ‘connectivity’ KWA did not bargain for
Man wanted in murder case arrested
Taxi driver held
Flooding at Thampanoor: joint inspection today
IBS inks deal with Oman Air
Eco-bio park to come up at Akkulam
Encroachments on police camp removed
Project to train Anganwadi teachers
Man stabbed to death
Women’s commission suggests age bar for nuns
Thiruvananthapuram Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu