Contaminated diesel : interim report handed over

The interim report of the three member committee appointed to look into the allegedly contaminated diesel was handed over yesterday.

Secretary to the Petroleum Industries Ministry, Dr. R.G. H. S. Samaratunga said the final report of the committee headed by Internal Auditor of the Petroleum Industries Ministry and the two foreign laboratory test reports on contaminated diesel are expected next week.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) had permitted to continue fuel supply to the controversial fuel supplier to Sri Lanka, Vitol Oil Ltd. using an emergency supply of furnace oil to Kerawalapitiya combined cycle power plant despite its black listing as an excuse, a Petroleum Industries Ministry said yester- day.

The source said the Viol Oil Ltd. Singapore had been blacklisted removed from the registration of suppliers by the CPC in 2009 for supplying contaminated furnace oil on the instructions of the Attorney General.

The CPC top management had permitted the Vitol Oil Ltd. to continue supplying fuel to Sri Lanka after this incident

However, the Vitol Oil had been re-listed after the company had allegedly supplied a stock of low sulfur furnace oil to Kerawalapitiya combined cycle power plant in an emergency situation as there has been a short of suppliers.

The CPC top management had permitted the Vitol Oil Ltd. to continue supplying fuel to Sri Lanka after this incident until they supplied another controversial stock of diesel in mid July, the ministry source said.

The source also said that a stock of low sulfur furnace oil imported last week has been released to the Kerawalapitiya plant after laboratory tests found that the stock was in accordance to the accepted specifications.