Sri Lanka runs out of fuel, comes to a near-standstill
The Hindu
Colombo seeks ‘urgent’ supply from India, Russia, Qatar
Cash-strapped Sri Lanka suspended nationwide fuel sales, except for essential services, for nearly a fortnight as the island faces a rapidly worsening economic crisis.
In a press conference held on Monday night, Cabinet spokesperson and Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardana said private vehicles will be barred from buying fuel until July 10, after which the government has promised to ensure the usual supply. Authorities halted bus services between provinces and urged citizens to work from home in a bid to save fuel. Schools also remain shut.
“Fuel will be issued only to health, defence, power and export sectors from midnight today until July 10,” Mr. Bandula Gunawardena told reporters.
The state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will issue diesel and petrol only for essential services with effect from midnight, he said. These services include ports, airports, health, food distribution and agriculture.
As fuel shortages intensified over the past couple of weeks, Sri Lanka’s roads looked empty, with more vehicles seen parked in long queues outside petrol stations than on the streets. On Tuesday, the capital city of Colombo was virtually shut down, even as the government hurriedly dispatched its ministers to Russia and Qatar to seek urgent supplies.
Colombo turns to India
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda on Monday met Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri in New Delhi to discuss the possibility of “securing petrol and diesel supplies that are required by Sri Lanka at present on an urgent basis”, the Sri Lankan mission in New Delhi said.