Minister warns oil cos against stopping supply to Valley

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 19

Taking strong note of the news items regarding stopping of fuel supply to Kashmir, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali has clarified that no such orders have been issued to stop oil supply to the Valley and regular supply was on.

The CAPD Minister said that after going through the news items published regarding denial of petrol and diesel supply to the distributors of the Kashmir valley, he had taken up the matter with all three petroleum companies viz Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and given directions to adhere to the normal oil supply to the Valley.

He warned that if any company was found involved in stopping supply, delaying transport, profiteering or stocking, his department would take stern action against them.

Giving data of oil stocks available in the Valley, Zulfkar said all three companies were supplying oil smoothly in the Valley and there was no dearth of oil products. He said 2,780 kl of petrol was available in Kashmir which was sufficient for 19 days.

“We also have 10,129 kl of diesel available which is sufficient for 29 days and 5,186 kl of kerosene sufficient for 61 days,” the minister said.

The minister said there was 1,179 kl of petrol, 1,186 kl of diesel, 718 kl of kerosene and 460 kl of aviation turbine fuel in transit and it would reach the Valley in a couple of days.

Terming the reports of stoppage of oil products to Kashmir as mere rumours, the minister said his department was closely monitoring the supply of fuel stock in Kashmir and he had issued directions to his department and oil companies to ensure normal supply to the Valley so that people did not suffer.

Meanwhile, Zulfkar said there was also no dearth of other essentials in the Valley. He said that of 4,62,191 quintals of food grains allocated to the Valley for August, they had distributed 2,88,996 quintals which was 62 per cent of the allocated food grains.

He said the remaining 38 per cent would be distributed in a couple of days, adding that there was no shortage of LPG in the Valley. “We have distributed 2.15 lakh LPG cylinders so far in August against the total 3.90 lakh cylinders requirement for the whole month,” the minister said, adding that they are having 1,45,161 cylinders in stock in Kashmir which are sufficient for 12 days.

About the daily supply of essentials, he said 2,258 trucks loaded with essentials had crossed Lower Munda Toll Post in the last two weeks.

Zulfkar said he had already directed the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, and the Inspector General of Police, Traffic, to ensure smooth traffic of trucks carrying essentials.