Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 19 May 2022
The residents of Katchal have been suffering because of the non-availability of adequate quantity of petrol for about 45 days now. The petrol was being rationed to the general public at Katchal to maintain the supply and prevent exhaustion.
Every two-wheeler was being issued petrol for Rs. 100/- every alternate day. To maintain supply around 1000 Litres of petrol was arranged from the nearby Kamorta Island and was transported to Katchal a few days ago.
The Special Relief Officer, Katchal Island has now issued a circular which informed that petrol will no longer be sold to the general public w.e.f 20th May 2022 due to non-availability of adequate stock.
The officials dealing with essential services have been asked to submit details of staff with their vehicle registration number & nature of work for issue of petrol.
It is shameful that the concerned authorities couldn’t arrange transportation of petrol from Port Blair to Katchal even after 45 days after the crisis started.
The private shipping operators are also to be blamed for the crisis of fuel at various Islands of Nicobar District. People with knowledge of the issue informed us that the private cargo operators are only concerned with maximising their profit and do not care about the problems being faced by the general public.
M.V Chuglam, the DSS operated Cargo vessel should be deployed by the authorities to these remote Islands regularly for transporting Petrol for the convenience of the general public.