TURA, August 4: A crisis is building up across Garo Hills, particularly Tura town, in view of shortage of fuel with several petrol stations running out of stock due to an ongoing strike call given by a state dealers group called the Petroleum Dealers Association of Meghalaya.
Though the crisis has reportedly been resolved, replenishing the exhausted stock is expected to take a couple of days until the fuel tankers arrive.
In the light of some stations unable to supply fuel, large queues have been forming since the past couple of days in a handful of gas stations that still have fuel stock.
“We normally purchase fuel from either lower hawakhana or Dermile, but the acute shortage has compelled us to travel a longer distance, almost to the outskirts of town, to get petrol for our vehicle for emergency use,” lamented several car owners in Tura.
West Garo Hills deputy commissioner Ram Singh has issued an order rationing fuel supply to the public after an inspection by supply officials to the fuel depots revealed the dwindling stock.
The deputy commissioner has directed fuel station operators to ensure sufficient reserve is maintained for use by government and law enforcement agencies.
Limits for fuel to consumers is either 10 litres of diesel or 5 litres of petrol for medium vehicles, 5 litres for light vehicles, and 5 litres for auto rickshaws and two wheelers.