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KOHIMA — Kohima administration’s attempt at quelling fear of fuel shortage among members of the public fell on deaf ears even as residents of the capital city swamped fuel stations on Wednesday and resorted to panic buying following multiple landslides between Kohima and Dimapur along NH 29 on the night of September 3, completely cutting off vehicular movement on the crucial road.
Among the residents, this resulted in hoarding of fuel in both vehicles and containers. To some stations, people brought containers/jars and filled them to the brim even as others waited in queue for hours to fill theirs.
The serpentine queue of vehicles, in turn, caused traffic congestion, especially in areas approaching the fuel stations. Some drivers and motorists were also spotted engaged in heated arguments in some stations, prompting police intervention.
At SKV Petrol Station, a good number of police personnel were deployed to thwart any untoward incidents after heated verbal arguments over fuel reportedly erupted among drivers and motorists.
After the arrival of police, per-litre-rate (at the maximum) of INR 1000 for cars and INR 300 for motorcycles was fixed.
Fuel runs dry
Eastern Mirror visited around eight fuel stations in and around Kohima town on Wednesday and learned that petrol ran out of stock within three to four hours after opening of the outlets in the morning, while diesel lasted for a few more hours. Members of the staff at the filling stations were sure that diesel too will run out by the end of the day.
Some of the workers at the filling stations shared that long queue were formed as early as 4:30 am on Wednesday.
Around 13,000 litre of petrol, in stock for the day, ran out by 9 am after the outlet opened at 6 am. By afternoon, only about 2000 litres of diesel was in stock, an attendant at a petrol station in Secretariat area shared. He informed that preference was given to school buses and public transport vehicles.
Uncertain wait
Waiting for hours in queue was no guarantee for drivers desperate to have their fill. One of the drivers, who had been waiting for more than three hours, expressed frustration at the panic buying while citing the district administration’s assurance to arrange help from other districts.
Another driver, who had been in queue for nearly four hours, said that fuel in his car was getting over even as he remained unsure of filling up his vehicle. Other drivers also prioritised the need to stay in queue in their attempt at filling up their vehicle’s fuel tanks.
Kohima Police, in an update, advised the public not to resort to panic buying as the alternate routes for supply of essential commodities into the district are still intact.
Important
— Kohima Police (@KohimaPolice) September 4, 2024
The public are urged not to resort to panic buying as the alternate routes for supply of essential commodities into the district are still intact.
‘No shortage of fuel’
The Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, Kumar Ramnikant, issued a notice advising residents to refrain from panic buying of essential commodities and fuel. He assured that there was no shortage.
The DC informed that the district administration was working with its counterparts in the neighbouring districts to ensure that the supply of essential commodities and fuel is not affected in any way.
KCCI appeals
Also, the Kohima Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) requested the public to maintain ‘normal purchase of food grains and other essential commodities’ and not resort to bulk purchases. It also directed its members not to entertain excessive procurements by buyers out of panic.
The KCCI assured sufficient stock of food grains and other essential commodities in the district. It further directed traders and shop owners not to engage in high pricing or charging exorbitant rates on commodities, and warned them of penalties.