Aizawl, May 12: Due to the damage to the rail track in the Lumding-Badarpur sector in Assam, Mizoram is facing a fuel shortage. Petrol pumps across the state are selling whatever supply they receive.
On Sunday, two of the Mizofed petrol pumps in Aizawl sold 32,000 litres of petrol to the public. Their pumps were open till 5 pm.
Rohinliana (Chatea), Manager of Treasury Square branch Mizofed petrol pump, said that they have been selling petrol to the public since noon on Sunday and that, depending upon their petrol supply after 5 pm, they will consider selling the remaining petrol on Monday to the public or only to those with coupons.
Diesel is available to the public as supply has reached Monirbond oil depot near Silchar, and several tankers are en route to Guwahati for petrol supply. We are expecting more tankers to enter Vairengte on Monday, he added.
Meanwhile, several petrol pumps across the state will be open to the public starting Monday, and the Zangen petrol pump in Aizawl, which opens 24/7, will start selling petrol as soon as tankers arrive on Sunday night.
Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister B. Lalchhanzova had issued a warning to hoarders and sellers of petrol in the black market, stating that they are responsible for causing an 'artificial shortage' of fuel due to their excessive hoarding.
Furthermore, he had issued an order for the police and staff of the Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Department to conduct spot inspections of all oil depots in Aizawl under the supervision of the Aizawl district Deputy Commissioner. The same order has been issued to other district commissioners as well.