Three member committee to probe petrol import; Payment for 20,000 tons of petrol suspended:

Petroleum Resources Minister Susil Premajayantha suspended payment for the 20,000 tons of petrol, reportedly of low quality. The minister has appointed a three member committee to investigate whether any fraud had taken place in the process of importing petrol. The committee which comprises the ministerial Secretary attached to another ministry, former oil refinery section deputy manager and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Marketing Manager, will submit a comprehensive report over the petrol issue.

The minister announced the three member committee at a meeting held with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation chairman and senior officials at the ministry yesterday.

The ministry introduced three Lanka Bell hot lines to receive complaints.

Some Opposition members publicly expressed that these introduced hot lines are non-operational. The Daily News found that the three lines were operational. Responding to the news that the hot lines are not working, a spokesman for the marketing section of the Petroleum Corporation told the Daily News that all lines were busy with callers making inquiries.

”All hot lines are working and anybody can contact the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation marketing branch through the numbers given for their inquiries,” he said.

An experienced team of personnel has been appointed by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation chairman Harry Jayawardena to investigate complaints and report action taken to redress the situation.

The petrol supplied by the Muthurajawela storage facility will be supplied continuously, Petroleum Ministry sources said.

The minister directed regional managers to investigate all petrol sheds against whom complaints have been made.

Regional managers have been instructed to make a thorough investigation about the manner in which these petrol sheds function.

 

Courtesy: Daily News