VIDEO: Substandard fuel ordered for �fake emergency�

Sri Lanka News-Adaderana-Truth First - VIDEO: Substandard fuel ordered for �fake emergency�    July 1, 2011  08:15:PM --> Home Archives Feedback Contact Us --> Print this -->

VIDEO: Substandard fuel ordered for �fake emergency� July 1, 2011  04:00 pm

Reports that Petroleum Industries Minister, Susil Premajayantha had ordered an emergency shipment of fuel are a complete fabrication, says the JVP who claim that the shipment was actually ordered in May.


By the time complaints regarding the substandard petrol started coming in nearly 17,000 out of the 20,000 metric tons of the petrol had already been distributed, Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated. 


Minister Susil Premajayantha is now claiming that additional fuel was needed urgently due to the Poson Festival and therefore the fuel was purchased in a hastily. This is a complete lie, the JVP Parliamentarian accused.


Speaking during a press conference today (July 01) he revealed that the need for fuel had been informed in the first week of the month of May and that the purchase had been made by creating a fake emergency situation.

EXCLUSIVE: Substandard petrol causing havoc

An emergency shipment of petrol which was proven to bebelow the required standards has caused great financial damage to the publicand the government, the Secretary of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya stated.

 

Following several complaints of malfunctioning vehicles inthe country, Ananda Palitha of the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya told Ada Derana thata shipment carrying petrol below the necessary standards for use had come tothe Colombo Harbour between June 18 and 20 and had subsequently beendistributed for consumption.

 

He stated that the shipment was brought to Sri Lanka withthe approval of the Petroleum Ministry Secretary�s approval following fears ofa potential fuel shortage. The decision was also taken while Ceylon PetroleumCorporation (CPC) Chairman Harry Jayawardena was out of the country.

 

Palitha explained that the depleting stock had prompted thecalling of tenders for shipments of fuel in order to maintain stocks for thenext three months. However, Ministry Secretary Titus Jayawardena had cancelledtwo of the tenders which had in turn threatened to create a shortage, he said.

 

The Secretary had then received cabinet approval for anemergency shipment of oil which had allegedly been the cause of themalfunctioning vehicles.

 

He further stated that apart from the extra cost to thegovernment in terms of shipping charges and harbour fees, leaks in theSapugaskanda pipelines through which this oil was pumped had caused muchwastage due to several leaks. He alleged that it had not been pumped throughMuturajawela to avoid detection of its poor quality which was known to theauthorities.

 

He added that the oil had been distributed around theisland to CPC and other fuel stations while another 1500 metric tons are stillbeing pumped from the ship.

 

Furthermore, over 125 pumps in over 50 sheds around the islandhave been disabled due to the nature of the oil while the anti-rust paint coatingin the oil bowsers had heated up while transporting the oil. Upon lab testingthe oil was found to be of very low quality which experts tried to remedy byadding certain chemicals into it. However, the 90 octane petrol that has beenpumped into vehicles around the island has caused malfunctions within one totwo weeks.

 

The Petroleum Ministry stated that the fuel had been boughtfrom a leading state owned company in the Middle-East of which the quality of fuelhad not been a problem.

 

Petroleum Ministry Secretary Titus Jayawardena stated thatupon tests conducted on petrol samples collected from 15 sheds it was shownthat only two of the samples had shown signs of low quality.

 

He said that poor standards of practice at the fillingstations could also have been the reason for these vehicular malfunctions whileadding that if it had been a problem with the fuel, many more complaints shouldhave been made.

 

Many vehicle manufacturers have also complained that brandnew vehicles which had been purchased were returned to the company uponmalfunction.

 

Mr. Jayawardena stated that complaints had only been madeby owners of trishaws and motorcycles while it was yet to be proven that thepetrol was harmful to other vehicles.

Look into substandard petrol allegations, instructs Susil

Sri Lanka News-Adaderana-Truth First - Look into substandard petrol allegations, instructs Susil    June 28, 2011  03:40:PM --> Home Archives Feedback Contact Us --> Print this -->

Look into substandard petrol allegations, instructs Susil June 27, 2011  12:08 pm

Minister Susil Premajayantha has instructed CPC Chairman, Harry Jayawardena to conduct an immediate inquiry into incidents alleging that substandard petrol had been imported and distributed.


Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha had notified in this regard following reports from several areas claiming that many three wheelers and motorcycles have rendered immobile after using this substandard petrol.


Therefore the Minister has instructed the Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to retrieve fuel samples from the filling stations suspected of providing the substandard petrol and conduct tests on them.


The Minister has also requested for a report regarding the issue, the Ministry of Petroleum Industries stated in a release.


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This is a Public Forum. Please use this forum responsibly to express your views and opinions. Comments that use foul and abusive language will be edited/deleted. Comments containing slander, vulgarism and derogatory statement will be deleted. Reader comments posted are the opinion of the comment writer, not Ada Derana. Help us protect the freedom of expression.

a.vote_up, a.vote_down {display:inline-block;background-repeat:none;background-position:center;height:16px;width:16px;margin-left:4px;text-indent:-900%;}a.vote_up {background:url("js/reddit_vote_tut/src/images/thumb_up.png");}a.vote_down {background:url("js/reddit_vote_tut/src/images/thumb_down.png");} June 27, 2011 12:50 pm

Minister your doing a wonderful job, pl. keep up the good work., these indian oil suppliers robbing this country with the help of the CPC officials, including Commecial manager ,they are been doing this for a long time, good you start buying things on G2G basis, god bless you.

kamal

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Reply

June 27, 2011 01:25 pm

Is it case of Exam paper muddling to petrol/fuel bungling

Hoodwinked

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June 27, 2011 02:41 pm

Is this investigation to get his lost shear of commision?

Jay

+1 -1

Reply

June 27, 2011 03:10 pm

horage ammagen pena ahanawa wage...!!!

padmika

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June 27, 2011 04:19 pm

Dear mr give us quelity oil. If losses occering increase the prices. Owners of vechcles have to pay petrol and frequent engine rapairs with low quelity petril.

rookade

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June 27, 2011 05:34 pm

Harry up to his old tricks

toejoe

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June 27, 2011 09:25 pm

Aye Magenda Ahanne?

Horage Amma

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June 27, 2011 09:59 pm

Same minister said resent past regarding oil misused by businessman bring them to court and give maximum punishment but so far nothing happened. This also will be same results. Nothing will happened if there any culprit.

weerasuriya

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