Trade unionist Ananda Palitha claims there is a fuel shortage and the public has been queuing at filling stations to purchase fuel despite claims by officials that there are adequate stocks of fuel for the next 15 days.
Speaking to NewsRadio, Palitha said the distribution of fuel will be further restricted in the forthcoming days due to the suspension of operations of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery.
He said queues at filling stations were observed even when the Oil Refinery was functioning.
The trade unionist said kerosene oil needed for the public is fully produced through the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery.
He said the Refinery will not resume operations until January adding even then it will take 15 days to get to optimum level.
Palitha said the stocks of fuel being imported are aviation fuel for operations at the Bandaranaike International Airport adding it requires 1,200MT daily.
However, the Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited Mohamed Uvais Mohamed yesterday assured that all stocks of fuel required by the public will be available for the next 15 days without any shortage, despite the suspension of operations of the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery.
Mohamed claimed said several tankers with refined oil previously procured are scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka in the next few weeks.
The Ministry of Energy said it reached the decision to suspend operations of the Oil Refinery for a few days due to a number of factors, including the unavailability of suppliers to supply crude oil to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation under the prevailing crisis.
