Panic Leads To Long Lines At Petrol Pumps In Karimnagar, Warangal Districts
Telangana Civil Supplies department and union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar have clarified that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG in Telangana
KARIMNAGAR / WARANGAL: Wednesday witnessed long lines and huge crowds at fuel stations in erstwhile Karimnagar and Warangal districts triggered by widespread social media reports of imminent fuel shortage.
Long queues of vehicles could be seen at petrol bunks in Karimnagar’s One Town area, Jagtial, Peddapalli and Rajanna Sircilla, apart from various regions in erstwhile Warangal district. Many fuel points had “No Stock” boards when their supplies ran out due to the unprecedented surge in demand.
Telangana Civil Supplies department and union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar have clarified that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG in Telangana. Sanjay appealed to the public not to believe in false narratives being circulated on social media.
The union minister underlined that oil companies HPCL, IOCL and BPCL have more than sufficient reserves of fuel. He accused certain elements of creating artificial scarcity and warned that strict action will be taken against them.
Amid the chaos, Telangana Petroleum Dealers Association president Amarender Reddy and general secretary Vinod Vishwanath have issued a statement saying supply chains are functioning normally. They attributed current dry-outs at some petrol pumps to panic buying, where motorists are insisting on full tanks and are even collecting fuel in cans, bottles and other containers.
The association has urged citizens to purchase only what is necessary and avoid causing inconvenience to others by disrupting regular supply.
Authorities have issued a stern warning to public that hoarding fuel in cans and bottles is a punishable offense under the Petroleum Act of 1934. Officials stated that individuals caught storing fuel illegally in residential areas face a fine of ₹1,000 and one month of imprisonment for the first offense. Subsequent violations could lead to a ₹5,000 fine and three months in jail. These provisions will be implemented to discourage black marketing of fuel.
Local administrations of both the erstwhile districts have requested police to monitor crowds at fuel stations and ensure order, apart from preventing people from collecting fuel in cans and bottles.
