Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Friday that there is no shortage of petrol and diesel in the state. The Chief Minister requested all the citizens not to panic and buy any essential items. He said that his government has initiated necessary action to ensure that there is no shortage of stocks and supplies. CM tweeted, ‘There is no shortage of petrol and diesel in Meghalaya. Necessary action has been initiated by the Government to ensure that there is no shortage of stocks and supplies. All the citizens are requested not to panic and buy any essential items.
The apex body of petroleum employees in Assam had said that it has stopped transportation of fuel to the neighboring state. Fearing fuel shortage in the state, hundreds of vehicles were seen waiting at petrol pumps since Thursday afternoon to fill their tanks. Due to the queue of vehicles, there was a traffic jam in the state capital Shillong and other parts. Police officials were seen controlling the movement of vehicles at some petrol pumps, where drivers went out of control while waiting for their turn. The Assam Petroleum Mazdoor Union (APMU) had sent letters to all PSU oil marketing companies including IOC, HPCL and BPCL informing them about their decision not to load fuel into tankers.
The union expressed concern over the safety of vehicles with Assam number plates in Meghalaya amid the violence that broke out after six people died on the interstate border. APMU general secretary Raman Das told PTI, “Earlier also in Meghalaya, our drivers and handymen were attacked when the situation worsened. We cannot take the risk again.’ He alleged that in the last two days, Assam numbered trucks supplying non-petroleum products were pelted with stones, but ‘no damage has been done to the oil tankers so far.’ Assam Petroleum Meghalaya Civil Supplies Director Praveen Bakshi on Thursday directed to arrange police escort for such vehicles after the Labor Union (APMU) announced that it has stopped transporting fuel in Meghalaya fearing violence.
The letter issued by the Director of Civil Supplies, Meghalaya, states, “In order to ensure smooth movement of vehicles carrying essential commodities, arrangements may kindly be made to provide patrolling/police escort wherever possible on all national highways.” Bakshi also directed the district officials to ensure adequate stock of fuel at all petrol pumps. Violence spread to Meghalaya after Tuesday’s violence at Mukroh on the disputed Assam-Meghalaya border, in which six people were killed. In Shillong, protesters hurled petrol bombs and pelted stones at a police bus, a jeep, a traffic police kiosk on Thursday night, injuring four policemen. Three other civilians were also injured, attacked by unidentified miscreants near the protest site.
