Multiple crises imperil lives and livelihoods
Critical services such as education, health, transport, and tourism are facing unprecedented multiple blows from the lack of fuel and electricity. This is stirring public anger across the country because lives are in danger and livelihoods have been destroyed.
Ambulance services say they have been forced to limit operations to short distances or cancel hires.
The manager of a private ambulance service in Colombo, Kalapani Kodituwakku, said patients can not be transported from far away locations.
“We are dealing with the lives of people. We can not take chances, so we cancel hires. On Thursday, we canceled 20 hires. Hospitals as well as patients are inconvenienced,” she said.
Even though some fuel stations give ambulances priority, most fuel station employees keep them waiting, she said.
The general manager of a private nursing home, Danushka Damith Wijesinghe, said the government must prioritise fuel for ambulances.
“People’s lives depend on ambulances. People need our services in emergencies, and in such situa
tions we cannot go in search of fuel or stay in fuel lines at petrol stations,’’ he said.
Mr Wijesinghe said requests for ambulances may be rejected because lives could be at risk from ambulances breaking down while moving patients.
The fisheries sector too has been badly affected by the fuel shortage as well as the fuel price increases.
The education sector is suffering. Teachers engaging in online education have had to halt their sessions.
Unions representing teachers say prolonged power cuts and the fuel shortage have a direct bearing on students and exam candidates.
Ceylon Teachers Union’s (CTU) General secretary, Joseph Stalin, told the Sunday Times that all the students, teachers, and principals are scheduled to come to school on Monday.
“Students are dropped to school by parents, or school vans. When there is no diesel, the students are unable to reach school. Even the principals and teachers take public transport,’’ he said.
Mr Stalin said that they requested the government to not enforce power cuts during the Advance Level examination, but the Ceylon Electricity Board CEB imposed a five-hour power cut.
“The government has financial management issues, This has caused a forex issue and due to that, it is unable to purchase fuel and provide power, even for students sitting for exams.’’
Tourism sector operators, guides, as well as safari jeep operators are struggling.
A safari jeep driver who operates at Yala National Park, Mohamad Ameen, said that most drivers cancel trips, or only undertake half-day journeys.
“We just restarted tourism, yet we are unable to make a living due to the fuel shortage. If the government needs dollars we can earn them dollars, but at least we need to operate to find dollars,’’ he said.
Public and private bus operations have been crippled. Half of the private bus fleet is not operating, owners say.
The head of the Sri Lanka Private Bus Owners Association, Gemunu Wijeratne, said that they have asked the SLTB to provide them with fuel.
“Bus drivers have been forced to be in long lines to buy fuel,’’ he said, And yet, most can't fill up their tanks.
He warned that he and the other private bus unions would stop operations next week if the government fails to provide diesel.
The Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers Union president, Anil Ranjith, said power generation at the moment depends on the availability of diesel and furnace oil.
There is more dependence on furnace oil because there is now much less hydro power generation.
Mr Ranjith added that uninterrupted power can only be provided if fuel is provided.
Farmers say their expenses have quadrupled because of soaring transport costs.
President of the Parabowa Farmers Association, Rasika Premasiri said that some farmers could not gather the harvest because they could not get diesel. And the farmers who managed to gather their harvest are now unable to get the paddy milled as there is no electricity.
“Most farmers are forced to keep the dried paddy in their homes because they can not transport paddy to the mills as lorries do not operate. The mills don’t function either due to power cuts. Farmers who stock the harvest at home face elephant attacks,’’ he said.
Mr Peramasiri said they had received an overseas order, but failed to export on February 28, as they were unable to mill and transport the load due to the fuel shortage.
The fishing community has been hampered as well, while fish prices have risen.
The convener of the National Fisheries Solidarity movement, Herman Kumara told the Sunday Times, that already 25 percent of the fishing community are not going out to sea.
“Large multi- day fishing boats need 15,000 to 20,000 litres per trip. The fishermen don’t get the amount they request. Some fishermen lay nets in the sea while they are operating their small boats. For one such fishing activity fishermen use up around 50 litres of kerosene,’’ he said.
Mr Kumara said incomes have dropped and the fish export industry, too, has been badly affected.
Local fish consumption has dropped due to rising prices, he added.
The chairman of the Ceylon petroleum Corporation was unavailable for comment.