Legal action against 255 dealers

Failure to maintain minimum stocks of products within sheds

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera yesterday advised the implementation of legal action against 255 dealers who failed to maintain minimum stocks for any products within the sheds.

The decision was announced during a progress review meeting held yesterday with the officials of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL).

During the discussion, it was brought to light that only 423 out of 1,050 filling stations that have contracted with the CPC were maintaining minimum stocks last week.

The minister said 255 dealers have failed to maintain minimum stocks for any products while 363 dealers have maintained minimum stock for one product.

The fuel import plan for the next 18 months, payments made for the fuel freight tankers, fuel distribution activities in line with the fuel quota and the recent infrastructure development of the petroleum storage terminal were also taken up for discussion.

Meanwhile, both the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) were instructed to cancel provisional approvals that have lapsed, and to cancel those projects that albeit being tendered, were not implemented.