COVID-19 halts movement of fuel TTs

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 4: Movement of CRPF-escorted convoys of empty oil tankers and LPG TTs has been suspended following confirmation of COVID-19 cases among officials working at the IOCL’s LPG bottling plant located at North Guwahati.
According to a letter submitted by the All Manipur Petroleum Products Drivers Association to the Chief Depot Manager of IOCL’s Malom Depot yesterday, oil tankers and LPG TTs would not leave Imphal for the North Guwahati LPG bottling plant till July 9 as COVID-19 has been detected among the officials working at the bottling plant.
As such, movement of CRPF-escorted empty oil tankers and LPG TTs has been suspended since yesterday.
The LPG bottling plant located at North Guwahati is the largest loading point in Assam. LPG is supplied to all the Northeastern States including Sikkim from this loading point.
The All Manipur Petroleum Products Drivers Association decided to suspend transportation of LPG  and petroleum products in view of the total lockdown being imposed in Assam, detection of COVID-19 cases among officials working at the North Guwahati LPG bottling plant and presence of sufficient stocks of LPG, petrol and diesel at Imphal.
As the daily sale of petrol and diesel declined drastically during the last three months or so on account of the COVID-19 lockdown, there are sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel at the Malom depot.
There is also enough stock of LPG at the Sekmai bottling plant, sources said.  Even though total lockdown has been imposed in Assam, IOCL’s loading points located in the State (Assam) have been operating as usual. However, drivers  have been facing many difficulties as their basic requirements are not available due to the lockdown.
All these points were discussed thoroughly at a meeting of the All Manipur Petroleum Products Drivers Association held yesterday. As Manipur would not be facing any shortage of LPG, petrol and diesel in the coming weeks, the association submitted a representation to the Chief Depot Manager of Malom Depot stating that movement of CRPF-escorted empty oil tankers and LPG TTs would be suspended till July 9.