Sri Lanka to ration fuel by issuing token numbers

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera on Sunday said that fuel stations across the country will issue tokens for consumers from Monday as only limited stocks were available. Speaking to journalists in Colombo, Wijesekera said that the assistance of the Sri Lankan Army and police was sought and token numbers would […]

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera on Sunday said that fuel stations across the country will issue tokens for consumers from Monday as only limited stocks were available.

Speaking to journalists in Colombo, Wijesekera said that the assistance of the Sri Lankan Army and police was sought and token numbers would be given to the public to fill petrol and diesel as only limited quantities were available, reports Xinhua news agency.

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The public was requested to register their mobile numbers at their nearest filling stations and once their numbers were issued, they would be notified.

Wijesekera said that the date of the arrival of the next fuel shipments in the county was unsure, but added that two Ministers would leave for Russia on Monday to discuss fuel imports.

A day earlier, the Minister had announced that the island nation will not receive shipments of petrol, diesel and crude oil, scheduled for this week and next week.

He said that suppliers have informed state-owned fuel importer and distributor Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) that they will not make the scheduled deliveries due to banking and logistic reasons.

Wijesekera said public transportation, power generation and industries would be given priority until the next shipments arrive.

Sri Lankans have been queueing up outside fuel stations for weeks as the country faces its worst-ever economic crisis leading to a shortage in essentials.

Sri Lanka’s two fuel distributors, the CPC and Lanka IOC, announced on Sunday that they have increased fuel prices, the fourth time the country has spiked the rates this year.

Earlier this month, the CPC said that it only had 5,000 metric tonnes of petrol and thus only 500 metric tonnes will be released to fuel stations each day.

The country currently needs at least $5 billion over the next six months to pay for basic essential items such as food, fuel and fertiliser.