Sri Lanka to operate only essential services till July 10 amid fuel crisis

PTI

Colombo, June 27

The Sri Lankan Government on Monday announced that only essential services would operate from midnight till July 10 and all other operations would be temporarily suspended as the crisis-hit nation faces acute fuel shortage.

The move came days after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday said the debt-laden economy of the island nation had “collapsed” after months of shortages of food, fuel and electricity, and cannot even purchase imported oil.

Sri Lanka's Cabinet of Minister decided that only essential services would operate from Monday midnight to July 10.

The state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will issue diesel and petrol only for essential services with effect from midnight, it said.

These services include ports, airports, health, food distribution and agriculture, the report said, quoting transport minister Gunawardena. “All other sectors must prepare for work from home,” he said, urging the public to support the government's move to limit the consumption of fuel.

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