A severe diesel shortage in Andhra Pradesh has led to long queues at fuel stations, with many displaying 'No Stock' signs. Dealers blame irregular supply from oil companies and have warned they may be forced to shut down operations.
Diesel supply disruption amid the West Asia crisis continues to affect the daily life of commuters across Andhra Pradesh, with long queues seen outside petrol bunks for the past two days as limited supply from oil companies has intensified the crisis.
Several fuel stations have displayed "No Stock" boards, while dealers have warned that operations may be forced to shut down if the situation persists. The shortage has been attributed to irregular supply, with oil companies reportedly replenishing stocks only once every two days, leading to increased pressure on available reserves.
Dealers' Association Voices Concerns
Members of the Dealers Association said that efforts to resolve the issue have so far not yielded results, despite discussions with the Civil Supplies Commissioner. The ongoing disruption has caused significant inconvenience to the public across the state.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Petroleum Association president Gopala Krishna said, "In the last three days, there has been an increase in the demand for diesel in Andhra Pradesh. Oil companies have not been able to supply oil to all the petrol stations properly, which has led to this problem. To solve this problem, we consulted the Civil Supplies Commissioner yesterday."
"The Civil Supplies Commissioner said that the problem is that we are not being able to supply oil to the petrol stations properly. He also convened a joint committee yesterday and held a meeting between the oil companies and the dealers. In that meeting, he said that you should supply diesel properly and avoid inconvenience to the consumers," he added.
Highlighting the continuing challenges, he said, "The situation has not improved so far. So many people are queuing up to buy diesel from us. In order to get out of this situation, the oil companies have to supply oil to the dealers on Sunday."
He further stated, "We are trying to get out of this situation. Due to the increase in crude oil prices in the oil market, oil companies are facing losses of 30 to 40 rupees. Due to the increase in crude oil prices, we are not able to supply oil to the oil companies properly."
"Because of this, this problem has arisen. If we supply oil to half of the oil banks today, we will be able to supply oil to the oil companies again in two days. We are trying to improve this problem by providing good services to the dealers. We hope that this problem will be solved by tomorrow," he added.
Government Assures Adequate Stocks
However, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Saturday said the government has ensured "100% supply" of domestic LPG, PNG and CNG, while urging citizens to avoid panic buying amid the evolving West Asia situation.
In a detailed update on key sectors, the ministry said, "Despite the ongoing geopolitical situation, the Government has ensured that 100% supply is being made to Domestic LPG, Domestic PNG and CNG (Transport)."
It added that there are adequate stocks of petrol and diesel across the country, and "regular retail prices for Petrol and Diesel are unchanged and there is no price increase at PSU OMCs Retail Outlets."
This comes against the backdrop of concerns linked to the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route. The government urged citizens to remain calm, stating, "Citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and LPG as the Govt is making all efforts to ensure availability."
(ANI)
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