All fuel distributors have decided not to order fuel this (04) morning, said Co-Secretary of the Petroleum Distributors’ Association Kapila Naotunna, speaking to media today.
“The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has charged back about 45 per cent of the commission paid to the distributors as a monthly usage fee. This charge – the managing director actually confirmed that this is not currently charged – was made without any prior notification. Then the Deputy Manager of the Finance Department of the Corporation charged the amount from the accounts of the distributors at about 4.30 pm yesterday evening. In objection to this charging, all distributors have decided to refrain from ordering fuel today (04). Until a solution is found, until the amount charged is returned to the distributors’ accounts, ordering of fuel will not take place as decided,” Naotunna said.
He went on: “In fact, it is the customer who is aggrieved by this. Because, when we cease the ordering of fuel, a huge fuel shortage will spread across the country once again. So, we hope that the authorities of the Corporation will immediately solve this problem without driving the people into that situation.”
However, Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara tweeted last night saying that the distribution of fuel will carry out uninterruptedly and urged the public not to be deceived by such false news.
MIAP
