News
Tanker coming today; LP gas shortage will end within two days
The severe domestic LP gas shortage currently affecting the country will come to an end within the next two days as a 3,500 metric tonne gas tanker is on its way to Colombo Port from Mumbai, the Government says.
The tanker is scheduled to reach the Colombo Port early today and the cylinder filling would be done throughout the day. The gas cylinders will be distributed to the agents directly from the port itself, according to Industries and Commerce Ministry Secretary Ranjith Asoka.
He said the gas shortage had occurred after an Iranian oil tanker came under attack in the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia early last month. “Thereafter, gas tankers avoided the region for fear of more attacks and this caused a delay in shipments reaching Colombo. Several gas tankers sailing towards Colombo were diverted to Mumbai. Unfortunately, they could not sail to Colombo owing to the recent cyclonic conditions off the Indian coast,” he said.
Mr Asoka also said the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) had filed legal action against 37 agents who allegedly inflated the prices to sell cylinders of domestic gas. Some agents had even placed conditions to consumers, forcing them to also buy a gas cooker from them to get a cylinder of gas, he said. Some agents had only issued cylinders to their regular customers and refused to sell to those from other areas.
Two more gas tankers gas are scheduled to arrive in Colombo Port next week. Thereafter, the entire gas supply will be normalised, Mr Asoka emphasised.