Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 21 2010:
Consequent upon unavailability of petrol and diesel in adequate quantities, a new distribution system based on last year's performance of retail outlets has been enforced since yesterday.
The new distribution system was enforced following an intimation through e-mail by the North East Integrated State Office, Guwahati to the IOC Divisional Retail Sales Officer, Imphal.
According to a reliable source, the IOC's Chingmeirong oil depot was also informed about the new distribution system through e-mail.
Under the new distribution system, fuel oils would be allotted to retail outlets based on their sales proceeds in August last year.
Accordingly, the Divisional Retail Sales Office located at BT Road sent a data detailing sales proceeds of retail outlets during August last year to two officers of Chingmeirong IOC depot via e-mail yesterday.
But fuel oils were allotted to retail outlets before the e-mails were checked.
When the e-mails were checked later in the day, some retail outlets against which allocations were made by the Retail Sales Office were not given fuel oils whereas some retail outlets for which no allocation was made were given fuel oils.
The list of retail outlets and quantity of allocations drawn up by the Divisional Retail Sales Office was sent in the early office hours to the two IOC depot officers.
Following disclosure that the fuel oils were not allotted in line with the allocation sent by the Divisional Retail Sales Office via e-mail, the same office has closed further allotment of fuel oils to retail outlets today.
As such, some retail outlets did not get any allotment today and they have no idea when would they get their allocations.
However, an official of the Chingmeirong depot maintained that some retails outlets not included in the list given of the Divisional Retail Sales Office were allotted fuel in view of the prevailing situation.
As many oil transporters are not willing to go for oil transportation, there is a lurking fear that transporters may decline the offer to go for fuel oil transportation.
Taking this into account, certain quantities of fuel oils were allotted to some retail outlets who double up as retailers cum transporters though they were not included in the list given by the Divisional Retail Sales Office, he added.