AGARTALA, Sep 19 (TIWN): Tripura’s petrol crisis again spiking up as in last 4 days Agartala public faced petrol crisis Twice. After Friday’s daylong crisis, on Monday again long queues were observed before Agartala Petrol pumps which signals rising black marketing of fuel. Other than artificial ‘fuel crisis’ created to benefit corrupt officials, ruling party cadres, there is no other valid reasons exists for fuel crisis. There are 3 ways for petroleum imports in state as the transit route via Bangladesh, then the Assam-Agartala National Highway 8( formerly 44), which is now in a better shape & then RoRo Service by Railways. Before Durga Bari petrol pump, on Monday many tankers were observed, but the same petrol pump has been crowded by bikers’ long lines on the next day. Amidst rain also, people are waiting to fill their bike tankers as the massive petrol crisis many hit anytime.

 Although other subdivisions are yet unaffected but long queue of bikers waiting for several hours to fill petrol were noticed outside the filling stations in Agartala . Talking to TIWN, many bikers complained that this has become a daily routine and along with fuel there is also severe crisis of cooking gas cylinder and other essential commodities.  

However there is no respite from Petrol’s illegal sales as lameduck Manik Sarkar's Govt yet to end the long pending crisis in spite of enormous help from Central Govt & Bangladesh allowing fuel transportation.

During the long 4 month’s petrol crisis from May-Hune, Tripura’s PWD Minister Badal Choudhury, Transport Minister Manik Dey and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bhanulal Saha jointly addressed the media to explain the situation, said that Central Govt. is fully responsible for the crisis,  as neither via train, nor via Bangladesh the route is clear for Petrol, but what will Tripura Govt. say now as Central govt. has opened 3 ways at a glance.

In spite of blatant lies by Tripura Ministers, Central Govt providing all necessary helps by signing a 'Fuel Transit Accord with Bangaldesh on Aug 18,2016' , then Railways started RoRo Service to transport fuel tankers via Railways.

However lameduck Chief Minister Manik Sarkar yet to utter a single word on massive sufferings due to  'artificial crisis' created by Fuel mafia to mint money by black-marketing.

Question arises, why amidst so much of police, security black marketing is much rampant in state? TIWN had exposed many series about North Tripura, where tankers were made half empty at Northern part of Tripura, with many pictures, videos. But no such action was taken after that.

However, with Central govt’s initiative many tankers reached Tripura within a week of Suresh Prabhu’s arrival via train & also national highway was recovered but after 1 months of respite, the fuel crisis again begins in various petrol pumps.

On August 22 People gathered at Churaibari to see the  event when 21 tankers in total comprises of 19 petrol tankers and 2 gas bullets entered the state to  meet an end to the acute fuel-crisis. In total
6000KLpetrol,12KLdiesel,14 ton LPG entered. On the other hand, North DM confirmed that “Petrol tankers are heavily entering state, as the road now has recovered”.

However 4 months of petrol crisis was supposed to end after creating so much of resentment among the common people. A riot like situation in state created & the war for petrol led everyday’s road blockade, tire burning and protest. 

Consumers are now scared of petrol crisis again as Agartala petrol punks runnign dry which is due to utter mismanagement by Foods & Civil Supplies Dept headed by Minister Bhanulal Saha and his Director Soumitra Bandopadhyay.