The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Severe diesel shortage in Bangalore city

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Thursday, Jul 24, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Severe diesel shortage in Bangalore city

Staff Reporter

Long queues at petrol stations have become common

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

Crisis: A view of a petrol station in Bangalore on Tuesday.

BANGALORE: Long queues at petrol stations were a common sight on Tuesday as the city continued to reel under severe diesel shortage which has been triggered by frequent power cuts.

Several stations, it is learnt, ran out of stock as demand for diesel increased amid fears of hoarding and black marketing.

At several places, including the one near Bharat Petroleum station close to M.N. Krishna Rao Park in Basavanagudi, hundreds of vehicles were lined outside stations, which in turn led to traffic jams.

Enquires with employees of stations revealed that the situation had been the same since the last couple of days and was likely to continue for some more days. They said that demand for diesel increased soon after the power situation worsened.

“We have been asked not to sell diesel to people who come to us with drums and barrels. We are struggling to meet the demand from the transport sector,” an employee of a Bharat Petroleum station told The Hindu.

According to the employee, many motorists came to the station out of panic.

Meanwhile, the owner of a petroleum station said that oil companies had promised to ensure regular supply of diesel soon.

“Oil companies that have implemented quota system for each outlet from July 1 had not anticipated the power crisis in the State. Bad monsoon and failure to produce hydel power changed the situation, leading to unprecedented demand for diesel,” he added.

Senior officials of Indian Oil Corporation said that demand for diesel had increased suddenly since the last week and the supply chain was under severe strain. “We hope to tide over the crisis very soon,” officials said.

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