Bhubaneswar, 14 May (H.S.): Amid panic buying of petrol and diesel in Bhubaneswar on Thursday, the Utkal Petroleum Dealers Association assured the public that there is no fuel shortage in the city and that adequate stocks are available at all major fuel stations.

Long queues were seen at several petrol pumps following rumours of a possible fuel crisis triggered by the ongoing US-Iran conflict and concerns over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Association General Secretary Sanjay Lath dismissed the speculation and appealed to people not to panic.

Speaking to the media, Lath said all major petrol pumps in the capital have sufficient stock of petrol and diesel, while smaller outlets had also procured adequate fuel in advance from oil companies.

He acknowledged that a few petrol pumps temporarily ran out of stock due to an unexpected surge in demand caused by panic buying. According to him, fears of a shortage prompted people to rush to fuel stations, leading to rapid depletion at some outlets.

“From tomorrow onwards, there will be no shortage of fuel. Consumers will not face any difficulty in getting petrol and diesel,” Lath assured.

He further stated that fuel sales in the city have increased sharply over the past three days following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal, which some people allegedly misinterpreted as a sign of an impending fuel crisis. As a result, petrol sales have reportedly risen by nearly 50 per cent.

Lath informed that out of the 41 petrol pumps in Bhubaneswar, only three to four outlets are currently facing temporary stock shortages due to their smaller storage capacity and the sudden spike in demand. He added that the unusually high sales volume has also affected the timely transportation and replenishment of fuel supplies.

Fresh fuel stock is expected to arrive during the night, he said, reiterating that there is no fuel crisis or panic situation in Bhubaneswar. He urged the public not to believe rumours or crowd petrol pumps unnecessarily.

“The situation is completely normal now. Petrol and diesel are available at all pumps. There is no restriction or rationing, and customers can fully refill their vehicle tanks without any issue,” he added.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda