Continuing shortages of gas, kerosene and fuel leaves many burning in anger
Eight people dead so far, after standing in long queues
Angry people continued their demands for cooking gas and kerosene, with protests being held in several parts of the country.
Standing in long queues for hours in the hot weather and in the rain, has left many people boiling with anger and disappointment.
Yesterday protests were carried out at Nawinna, Gunasinghepura, Kompanna Veediya, Mattakuliya and several other areas, with people blocking main roads.
Last week protests were held at Pelawatte, Armour Street, Dematagoda and Kompanna Veediya by frustrated people who stood in queues for several hours. Many of them left empty handed.
So far eight people have died waiting in fuel, kerosene and cooking gas queues.
However the two gas importers--Litro and Laugfs--said they do not have sufficient US dollars in the banks to import the commodity.
Laugfs Chief Executive Officer W. H. K. Wegapitiya said the shortage would stop only when the country's forex crisis ended.
He said the country needed a supply of around 45,000 metric tonnes of liquid petroleum gas for a month, but at the moment his company supplied only 2,000 metric tonnes a month.
Meanwhile Litro, the country's main gas supplier, refused to answer our calls.
Last week, Litro's decision to stop supplying domestic cylinders and cater only to the industrial sector was halted by President Gotabaya
Rajapaksa, following several protests.
The company was then directed to supply domestic cylinders, following which 15,000 domestic gas cylinders were released to the Colombo and Gampaha districts on May 9. The people were also reassured that the situation would return to normal.
Previously, Litro released 80,000 domestic cylinders a day but reduced their supply to 30,000 cylinders a day at the end of April.
The company has now been forced to reduce its supply to 15,000 cylinders and will only be supplying to those residing in urban areas. People in other areas will have to find alternate means for cooking.
Finding kerosene to even light the firewood of the hearth has become a challenge.