Sri Lankans queue up to buy kerosene oil in Colombo
Highlight
- Sri Lanka cuts daily electricity for 10 hours across the country due to lack of hydroelectric power
- Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented acute economic and energy crisis
- India recently announced a line of credit of 1 billion US dollars to Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday imposed a 10-hour daily power cut across the country due to a lack of hydroelectric power due to non-availability of fuel.
Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented acute economic and energy crisis due to lack of foreign exchange. The sudden rise in prices of key commodities and shortage of fuel forced thousands of people to stand in queues outside petrol filling stations for hours. People are also facing power cuts for hours everyday.
All essential commodities are in short supply due to import restrictions forced by the foreign exchange crisis. The daily power cut in the island nation has been extended to 10 hours on Wednesday morning, officials said.
The country has been facing seven hours of power outage since the beginning of the month. “There is a shortage of 750 MW due to non-availability of fuel to generate thermal power,” said Janak Ratnayak, chairman of the Public Utilities Commission.
State-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has asked motorists not to queue outside fuel stations to buy diesel on Wednesday and Thursday as it was unable to pay for incoming shipments.
However, it is not clear where the consignment came from. The CPC said that the landing of the ship would take place on Friday only.
Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge said the government would immediately procure 6,000 metric tonnes of diesel from LIOC, a Lankan subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation.
“It will be used for emergency services and power generation,” he said. Lokuge said the shipment of diesel under the Indian line of credit is expected on Thursday.
India recently extended a USD 1 billion line of credit to Sri Lanka as part of its financial aid to the country to tide over the economic crisis after the previous USD 500 billion loan in February to help buy petroleum products. announced.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his just-concluded visit to Colombo had assured India’s continued support in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery process.
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