Thaindian News

Panaji, Aug 22 (IANS) Long queues stretched before several petrol pumps here Monday following reports of petroleum shortage after a pipeline was sealed to quell a fire caused by a naphtha leak in Vasco.

The reports of petrol shortage was caused by the sudden suspension of a multi-functional pipeline running from the Mormugao Port Trust to the storage site by the authorities Monday.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told commuters and vehicle owners that the state government had made arrangements for additional fuel from petroleum storage depots in neighbouring states.

The pipeline was sealed by the state administration Monday in order to quell a fire caused by naphtha leakage, which has been raging for nearly 72 hours now at Vasco, 30 km from here.

Petrol pumps in Panaji, Vasco and Mapusa, all major towns in the state, saw long winding queues stretching up to half a kilometre with commuters eager to beat the perceived fuel shortage.

“I am tanking up because I travel on my scooter for 60 km everyday,” said Vasant Naik, who commutes from Anjuna to the Verna industrial estate.

Kamat told reporters there was no need to worry as far as fuel supply was concerned.

“We have sufficient stock to last for eight days. Thirty tankers of petroleum bring in fuel, in addition to the fuel which is pumped in from the harbour,” Kamat said.