News
Litro says gas supplies will begin tomorrow, but customers say won’t believe it until we see it
View(s):By Chrishanthi Christopher
After a lapse of more than a month, Litro’s cooking gas distributions will begin tomorrow, the company said.
It said the distribution would start in the Western Province, with 70,000 cylinders being sent to the dealers tomorrow.
Litro ceased distribution in the first week of June announcing to its customers that gas would not be supplied until further notice. However, many people continued to be in queues at outlets in the hope of getting gas.
Disappointed consumers expressed scepticism about the arrival of gas tomorrow. Pic by Akila Jayawardana
The Government last week announced that the company had signed a US$ 90 million deal for the purchase of 100,000 metric tonnes of gas from an Omani company. The company utilized US$ 70 million from a World Bank assistance programme and US$ 20 million from its own funds to pay for the transaction.
Plans are to distribute 70 percent of gas to the domestic sector and 30 percent to the commercial sector, including bakeries and small scale businesses.
A company spokesperson said the first shipment was expected tonight and arrangements were being made to supply gas from tomorrow morning to domestic customers.
The gas will be sufficient to supply for the next four months, he said.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament that Litro domestic gas supply would resume from Monday and that around 12,000 outlets in 140 location across the country would each receive 100 cylinders a day.
This shipment was earlier expected to arrive on July 5, but got delayed for unknown reasons.
Disappointed consumers expressed scepticism this time, too, and said they would believe the company statements only when the actual distribution started.
Standing in a queue at a gas outlet in Dehiwala, one man said he had been in the queue for more than a month.
“This is the third time they say that they would distribute. But nothing happened,” one man said.
He had undertaken to take care of the empty cylinders of other customers who were unable to stay day and night in the queue.
In many outlets, many people have come forward to be in the queue and look after the cylinders for a fee from the customers.
It was common sight to see cylinders tied up with thick chains for protection while one man stood guard over them.
Desperate consumers spend
Rs .100 a day or more to protect their cylinders and the slot in the queue in their quest to buy the ever-elusive fuel for cooking.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!