Rajitha points finger at those loyal to Mahinda Rajapaksa

The government said yesterday that preliminary investigations had revealed that some officials were responsible for the prevailing shortage of petrol.

Government spokesmen Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne and Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera told the weekly Cabinet Press Briefing at the Information Department that on certain days officials had released fuel stocks less than the normal requirement, which created an artificial shortage leading to panic buying and shortages. “Motorists started buying more fuel, increasing the demand to 4,000 metric tonnes whereas the usual daily requirement was about 2,500 metric tonnes.”

Jayasekera, giving an example, revealed that on one of the days around 600 metric tones of petrol and diesel had been released to the market, when the immediate need was 1,200 metric tonnes.

Such actions would be investigated by the probe committee appointed by President Maithiripala Sirisena, he added.

Answering a question, Senaratne said that the issue was not whether there was alleged political pressure on Petroleum Resources Development Minister Arjuna Ranatunga to accept alleged bad petrol that the LIOC had got down. “The question is the delay in ordering and releasing sufficient stocks to the market. That is what has to be probed.”

Jayasekera also agreed with Senaratne’s contention.

Senaratne accused officials loyal to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa of resorting to sabotage. “They are trying to capture power hook or by crook even by using petrol and diesel as a weapon.”

Lands and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gayantha Karunathillake said that unlike in 2011 and 2012 under the Rajapaksa regime, engines of a large number of vehicles had not been affected due to the bad petrol that had been imported.Senaratne accused officials loyal to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa of resorting to sabotage. “They are trying to capture power hook or by crook even by using petrol and diesel as a weapon.”

Lands and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Gayantha Karunathillake said that unlike in 2011 and 2012 under the Rajapaksa regime, engines of a large number of vehicles had not been affected due to the bad petrol that had been imported.