Diesel shortage hits Hyderabad

Hyderabad, the fifth largest metropolis of India and state capital of Andhra Pradesh, was hit by severe diesel fuel shortage in mid-July. Several gasoline stations of Bharat Petroleum, Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum ran out of diesel fuel stock. The companies are cutting 20% on the indent made by the dealers. That is also one of the reasons for shortage of both diesel and petrol,” said TC Goel, general secretary of Greater Hyderabad Petrol Diesel Dealers Association. The situation got complicated due to increased power cuts in the city and many began operating diesel generation sets longer. As a result, consumption of diesel fuel shot up, causing panic. Officials denied any short supply in petrol saying the problem started at the Bharat Petroleum tank at Cherlapally where Euro 3 diesel from railway tank wagons could not be unloaded. The tank wagons carried both Euro 2 and Euro 3 diesel to the Cherlapally tank and could not follow the procedure of unloading them together from the tank wagons, as the Euro II tanks were still full. By rule, the oil companies have to supply Euro 3 high-speed diesel (HSD) in the city, which has lower sulfur content than Euro 2 diesel fuel. Euro 2 diesel fuel is supplied to other parts of the state. (July 17, 2008)