Fuel shortage in Jaffna, bus service grinds to a halt

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 September 2006, 12:50 GMT]
Northern Regional Transport Board (NRTB) bus services operating from Kondavil, Point Pedro and Karainagar Bus Depots in the Jaffna peninsula, ground to a halt from Saturday noon as the fuel stock in the depots completely depleted due to the closure of A9, Kondavil depot officials said. Meanwhile, electricity supply for the peninsula from the Chunakam Electricity Board has been cut down to a mere one hour per day as the fuel stock for the gas-fired generator station also had gone low.

Long distance buses operated by the Kondavil depot also stopped midway as there was no fuel in their tanks, said the sources.

Point Pedro bus depot which had 26 buses in its daily fleet, had to cut down the number to 8 last week due to dwindling fuel stock. Even these 8 buses had stopped service from Saturday noon, depot officials said.

Fuel stock that remained unused at the Kankesanthurai Government fuel storage centre has been completely appropriated by the Sri Lanka armed forces in Jaffna penisula for their exclusive use, an official said.

Unless the fuel stock in Jaffna penisula is replenished by Monday, electric supply to Jaffna consumers will be totally cut, and people will not have any public transport facilities, officials said.