A shocking case has come to light amid the energy crisis in Sri Lanka, where a person has been sentenced to three weeks in jail for storing only 4 liters of petrol. This action has taken place at a time when the country is facing a serious fuel crisis and the administration has imposed strict rationing system.
According to media reports, the accused had initially claimed that he had kept this petrol for the garden mower, but later he accepted the charge of hoarding. The court considered it a serious crime and said that hoarding fuel and attempting black marketing during the current crisis is against the law. Along with jail, the court has also imposed a financial fine on the accused.
In fact, due to the war-like situation related to Iran and the global supply crisis, there is a severe fuel shortage in Sri Lanka. The situation is so bad that people are being given limited quantities of petrol and diesel and in many places fuel is available only every second day.
According to the administration, the country’s diesel stock can last only till the first fortnight of May, while the petrol stock is expected to last for about a week more than this. In such a situation, the government is taking strict steps to stop any kind of hoarding and black marketing.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government is in talks with Russia for alternative fuel supplies. According to the office of President Anura Kumar Dissanayake, the issue has been discussed with Russian Deputy Energy Minister Roman Marshavin. The Russian side has also assured help.
In this era of energy crisis, this strictness of Sri Lanka clearly indicates that the government is in no mood to tolerate any kind of hoarding and is ready to take tough decisions to control the situation.
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