Petrol, diesel stock available for 13 days in Odisha, says Minister amid panic buying

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Friday assured people that there is no shortage of petrol and diesel in the state and sufficient fuel stock is available for the next 13 days. The Minister’s statement came amid panic buying and long queues at fuel stations across Odisha following concerns over a possible disruption in fuel supply due to the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Several petrol pumps in different parts of the state reportedly ran out of fuel as anxious consumers rushed to stock up. Addressing the media, Patra said the sudden surge in demand was caused by panic among people. He informed that the demand for petrol and diesel has increased by nearly 50 per cent because of overcrowding at fuel stations. The Minister appealed to people not to panic or hoard fuel in containers and jerrycans. He clarified that a misconception had spread among the public after Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised people to reduce fuel consumption as part of efforts to strengthen the economy. Patra said some people wrongly interpreted the statement as a sign of an impending fuel shortage, leading to panic buying. He further said that officials have been directed to conduct raids to prevent black marketing of fuel. The government has also instructed authorities to ensure priority fuel supply to public transport services. Meanwhile, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) also assured that there is adequate stock of petrol and diesel in Odisha. IOCL Chief General Manager Kamal Sheel urged people not to crowd fuel stations or stockpile fuel unnecessarily. He said there is no shortage of fuel anywhere in the state, and supply is being monitored district-wise. According to him, every district currently has fuel stock sufficient for three to four days, and supplies are being replenished regularly based on demand. Sheel said fuel sales have increased by around 30 per cent over the last two days due to panic buying. He added that some petrol pumps remained temporarily closed due to reasons unrelated to fuel availability, but assured that adequate supply would reach all outlets as per demand.