At a time when the people remain hopeful that the Government will ensure an adequate supply of fuel, even the fuel that is being distributed seems to contain problems. As such, in addition to the fuel shortage, there are now concerns about the quality of fuel.
Earlier this week six civil organisations, including the All Island Three-Wheeler Drivers’ Union, the Motorcycle Association, the School Bus Service Association, the Mage Rata Association, and the Samagi Sevaka Sangamaya, led by consumer rights activist Asela Sampath, met officials of the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) to file a complaint with regard to the standard of petrol and diesel that are being distributed currently. Sampath had mentioned that many consumers had also raised concerns about the same with him. Moreover, he pointed out the importance of having some kind of an assurance regarding the quality of fuel. In addition, Motorcycle Association Chairman Chirantha Amarasinghe had also claimed that there could possibly be a dilution or mixing of fuel, and that investigations in this regard should focus on storage, transport, and distribution. The SLSI in return has requested a written complaint from civil organisations’ representatives who went to the SLSI to lodge a complaint about the standards of petrol and diesel, yesterday (28).
However, the authorities have denied these claims. Recently, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe stated that the allegations regarding the quality of fuel are completely false, and added that the CPC has been looking into the matter despite the CPC’s Consumer Affairs Division having not received a single complaint regarding the alleged low quality of fuel.
However, it is not only consumer rights activists who have raised these concerns. Many members of the general public have claimed that depending on the type of vehicle and other technical aspects pertaining to fuel usage, they are experiencing a reduction in the number of kilometres that can run on a litre of petrol or diesel. According to vehicle owners, in some cases, this reduction is around 40-50%, which means that consumers now have to spend twice the money they would usually spend for fuel per month.
This matter emerged at a time when vehicle owners are facing an extremely difficult time, because in addition to the fuel shortage, fuel prices have gone up exponentially. The situation is such that most vehicle owners are unhappy about the fact that to get a day’s work done, they have to wait in queues for half a day. In this context, when the fuel does not provide the expected performance, this could in turn create a whole new crisis. This new crisis is not one that will affect only vehicle owners, but the entire country, because the transport sector is directly linked to almost every other sector.
The technical aspects of this matter are still not clear. However, merely because the said claim has not been substantiated thus far, the authorities should not be too quick to deny nor downplay such claims. Their duty is to carry out proper tests in order to ascertain the veracity of these claims, and take the necessary steps to see to it that the fuel Sri Lanka purchases is of the proper quality.
At the same time, at a time when Sri Lanka is expecting credit lines and other forms of support from various countries and international bodies, the authorities should be vigilant about the fuel Sri Lanka receives through these arrangements. These fuel stocks should not be exempted from the stringent quality tests that are employed for all fuel imports. Sri Lanka may be desperate for fuel and willing to accept fuel from any party that is willing to support the country, but if low-quality fuel causes any negative impact on the transport sector, at the end of the day, it is Sri Lanka, or specifically tax payers, that are going to have to pay for it.
If the allegations of the six civil organisations are proven to be true, attention should also be paid to find out whether the procurement of low-quality fuel was an intentional act or due to incompetence, and it is of utmost importance that necessary action is taken against those responsible for such.The black gold standard
28 Mar 2022
The black gold standard
28 Mar 2022
At a time when the people remain hopeful that the Government will ensure an adequate supply of fuel, even the fuel that is being distributed seems to contain problems. As such, in addition to the fuel shortage, there are now concerns about the quality of fuel.
Earlier this week six civil organisations, including the All Island Three-Wheeler Drivers’ Union, the Motorcycle Association, the School Bus Service Association, the Mage Rata Association, and the Samagi Sevaka Sangamaya, led by consumer rights activist Asela Sampath, met officials of the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) to file a complaint with regard to the standard of petrol and diesel that are being distributed currently. Sampath had mentioned that many consumers had also raised concerns about the same with him. Moreover, he pointed out the importance of having some kind of an assurance regarding the quality of fuel. In addition, Motorcycle Association Chairman Chirantha Amarasinghe had also claimed that there could possibly be a dilution or mixing of fuel, and that investigations in this regard should focus on storage, transport, and distribution. The SLSI in return has requested a written complaint from civil organisations’ representatives who went to the SLSI to lodge a complaint about the standards of petrol and diesel, yesterday (28).
However, the authorities have denied these claims. Recently, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe stated that the allegations regarding the quality of fuel are completely false, and added that the CPC has been looking into the matter despite the CPC’s Consumer Affairs Division having not received a single complaint regarding the alleged low quality of fuel.
However, it is not only consumer rights activists who have raised these concerns. Many members of the general public have claimed that depending on the type of vehicle and other technical aspects pertaining to fuel usage, they are experiencing a reduction in the number of kilometres that can run on a litre of petrol or diesel. According to vehicle owners, in some cases, this reduction is around 40-50%, which means that consumers now have to spend twice the money they would usually spend for fuel per month.
This matter emerged at a time when vehicle owners are facing an extremely difficult time, because in addition to the fuel shortage, fuel prices have gone up exponentially. The situation is such that most vehicle owners are unhappy about the fact that to get a day’s work done, they have to wait in queues for half a day. In this context, when the fuel does not provide the expected performance, this could in turn create a whole new crisis. This new crisis is not one that will affect only vehicle owners, but the entire country, because the transport sector is directly linked to almost every other sector.
The technical aspects of this matter are still not clear. However, merely because the said claim has not been substantiated thus far, the authorities should not be too quick to deny nor downplay such claims. Their duty is to carry out proper tests in order to ascertain the veracity of these claims, and take the necessary steps to see to it that the fuel Sri Lanka purchases is of the proper quality.
At the same time, at a time when Sri Lanka is expecting credit lines and other forms of support from various countries and international bodies, the authorities should be vigilant about the fuel Sri Lanka receives through these arrangements. These fuel stocks should not be exempted from the stringent quality tests that are employed for all fuel imports. Sri Lanka may be desperate for fuel and willing to accept fuel from any party that is willing to support the country, but if low-quality fuel causes any negative impact on the transport sector, at the end of the day, it is Sri Lanka, or specifically tax payers, that are going to have to pay for it.
If the allegations of the six civil organisations are proven to be true, attention should also be paid to find out whether the procurement of low-quality fuel was an intentional act or due to incompetence, and it is of utmost importance that necessary action is taken against those responsible for such.Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!