Rumours spark rush at Kolhapur petrol pumps

Kolhapur: Refuting recent rumours of fuel shortage, Kolhapur collector Amol Yedge assured people that the district had adequate stocks, and requested them to avoid panic buying. However, despite the collector's appeal, there was a rush to stock up on fuel on Tuesday."Panic buying has increased sales by 25-30%, and the petrol pump operators are under strain. All three fuel companies have assured that adequate supplies are being made to the pumps in the district. There is also an adequate buffer stock. People should avoid panic buying. Other districts have not reported panic buying," said Yedge. The collector said some petrol pumps — 4-5% — were shut, but for reasons unrelated to supply issues.Over the past couple of days, rumours of a fuel shortage and price rise have been circulating. One petrol pump operator said, "We require a tanker of petrol every day, and we get it at midnight. Since the rumours started spreading, we had to place an order for another tanker in the afternoon."Due to increased demand, petrol pumps started rationing fuel. At some pumps, bikes got no more than Rs 200 worth of petrol, while cars got around Rs 1,000 worth of petrol or diesel."I visited three petrol pumps and had to wait for 45 minutes for my turn. I had to urge the employee to fill at least Rs 500 worth of petrol since I had to travel. He asked me where my home was, and only then filled the tank with Rs 500 worth of petrol," said a biker who came from Kushire village in Panhala tehsil.Consumers from Shivaji Peth, Sambhajinagar, Budhwar Peth and some of the suburbs hit the streets with empty LPG cylinders after the distributor told them there was a shortage. The consumers claimed they suspected that the distributor had clandestinely sold LPG in the black market."Gas supply is normal. People should book gas only if they need to, and ignore rumours. We have made helpline numbers available for people to report any complaint regarding fuel and LPG shortage," said Yedge.