Ignore rumours on petrol, diesel shortage: Govt

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Wednesday urged people not to pay heed to rumours about petrol and diesel shortage or resort to panic buying amid reports of people queuing up at fuel stations in some parts of the state.

In a statement, the government said the Centre has clarified that there is ample stock of fuel available at retail outlets across the country.

“It has come to the attention of the government through various media reports that in certain parts of the state, people are queuing at petrol pumps with containers such as bottles and cans. This behaviour is driven by false rumours suggesting an impending shortage of petrol and diesel,” it said.

The government strongly advised the public against transporting or storing fuel in loose or unsuitable containers, citing serious safety risks and fire hazards. It has instructed retail outlets to supply fuel only directly into vehicle tanks and strictly prohibited petrol pumps from dispensing fuel in bottles, cans or any external containers.

Under existing laws, storage of fuel in bulk or in unauthorised containers is illegal, it said. The government also assured that the fuel supply chain remains robust and there is no cause for concern, according to a press note.

Meanwhile, Hubballi Dharwad Police Commissioner N Sashikumar warned of strict legal action against those spreading rumours about fuel shortage in the city limits, assuring that there is sufficient supply.

The warning followed misinformation circulated on social media that triggered panic buying and long queues at fuel stations across the Hubballi-Dharwad police commissionerate limits on March 24.

“There was miscommunication and misrepresentation of facts by anonymous social media users, which led to confusion among the public and prompted many to purchase fuel in unusually large quantities,” he told reporters here on Wednesday.