Lankan fuel pumps may go dry by April end

April 08, 2022 11:29

Sri Lanka may run out of diesel by the end of this month with the USD 500 million line of credit extended by India for fuel purchase exhausting fast amidst the unprecedented shortage of foreign reserves.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from the UK in 1948. People have been protesting for weeks over lengthy power cuts and shortage of gas, food and other basic goods.

The public anger has prompted nearly all Cabinet ministers to quit, and scores of lawmakers to leave President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's government. According to officials, fuel shipments to Sri Lanka started coming in late March due to the urgency of the situation although they were scheduled to start from April 1.

Three more Indian shipments are due on April 15, 18 and 23 and the facility would be fully exhausted by then unless the Sri Lankan government sought for a further extension from India, they said.

Diesel is widely used for public transport and thermal power generation in the country. Closure of a few thermal power plants due to lack of diesel has already caused power cuts lasting over 10 hours daily.

The country's only refinery had to be shut down twice in November 2021, since it was unable to pay for imports. Enraged people got into the streets for endless agitations against the government, calling for its resignation for the incompetence. -- PTI

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