Bhubaneswar: The State government today assured that there is no oil crisis in Odisha and appealed to the public to refrain from panic buying.
Addressing the media, Principal Secretary, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Sanjay Singh stated that the state has sufficient stock of petroleum products and people can get fuel as and when required. He said district Collectors have been directed to immediately intervene in case of any shortage reported in their respective districts.
“Overall, there is no oil crisis in the State. People are requested to refrain from panic buying. We have enough stock. People will get the oil whenever they need,” Singh said.
He further added that less than one percent of fuel stations are currently dry, and that too is a temporary situation. The government is closely monitoring the distribution and is in regular contact with oil companies to ensure uninterrupted supply. The Principal Secretary also cautioned people against believing rumours regarding fuel shortage and warned against hoarding. “They should not believe rumors arising out of the situation regarding the shortage of fuel. We are also keeping a close watch on the hoarding of the oil,” he added.
The statement comes amid reports of long queues and increased buying at petrol pumps in several parts of the state over the last two days. The Food Supplies department has appealed to citizens to maintain calm and avoid unnecessary panic buying so that genuine consumers do not face any inconvenience.
