Sri Lanka Crisis: Diesel has run out in the neighboring country of Sri Lanka. “Diesel is no longer available for sale” boards were seen at several petrol pumps in Sri Lanka on Thursday. Sri Lanka’s traffic system has come to a standstill due to the exhaustion of diesel. Also, record power cuts of 10-10 hours have added to the problem for Sri Lanka’s 22 million population.
Sri Lanka is currently facing the worst economic crisis since its independence. The beginning of this economic crisis has started with a sharp decrease in foreign exchange reserves, due to which Sri Lanka does not even have money to import essential goods at this time.
Diesel is the mainstay of the traffic system of any country as this fuel is used in buses and trucks and other commercial vehicles. According to Sri Lankan official and media reports, diesel is not available for sale at any petrol pump across the island.
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Petrol is currently available for sale, but its supply is limited, forcing vehicle owners to leave their cars in long queues.
Diesel is being extracted from the buses parked in the garage
Sri Lanka’s transport minister Dilam Amunugama said, “We are extracting diesel from the buses that have come for repair in the garage and are using that diesel to run vehicles in working condition.”
About two-thirds of the buses in Sri Lanka are in the hands of private owners. The owners of private buses told that they already have run out of oil and after Friday it is not possible to run even a single bus.
“We are still using the old stock of diesel, but if we do not get the supply by this evening, we will not be able to function,” said Jemunu Wijeratne, chairman of the Private Bus Operators Association.
Electricity will be cut for 13 hours
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s electricity department announced they would be forced to impose a 13-hour power cut from Thursday because they do not have diesel to run the generators. This will be the longest power cut ever in Sri Lanka. Till now there was power cut for 10 hours in the midst of diesel crisis.
The state power monopoly said they would be forced to implement a 13-hour power cut from Thursday – the longest ever – because they did not have diesel for generators.
“We have been promised a new supply of diesel in two days, and if that happens, we can reduce the period of power cuts,” said MMC Ferdinando, chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board.
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