Sri Lanka has severe crisis. Schools are closed. Ask civil servants to work from home to save fuel.
Date 27 June 2022 time 16:59
Situation of Sri Lanka From the economic crisis to the expensive energy crisis order to close the school urges people to work from home to save fuel
Reuters – Army soldiers in Sri Lanka operate queue cards to people queuing to buy gas amid severe fuel shortages in a country battling its worst economic crisis in seven decades. while schools in Colombo were closed. and civil servants were asked to work from home.
with historically low foreign exchange reserves The island nation of 22 million is struggling to pay for critical food, medicine and fuel imports.
“I’ve been in line for four days. I didn’t sleep or eat properly during this time.” W.D. Shelton, a 67-year-old rickshaw driver, was one of the people who had been given a queue card for gas pickups to deliver fuel.
“We can’t make money. We cannot support our family,” added Shelton, who is in line 24 at a gas station in central Colombo, but he intends to stay there because he has no fuel for the journey home just 5km away. .
It was not immediately clear how far the government could expand its fuel reserves.
Kanchana Vijesakora, Minister of Energy and Energy said on Sunday that The stockpile of diesel fuel is about 9,000 tons and gasoline 6,000 tons, but there is no new delivery date yet.
The government has ordered civil servants to work from home until further notice. while schools It was closed for a week in the commercial capital of Colombo and surrounding areas.
Gas station queues have increased sharply since last week.
“This is a tragedy. We don’t know where this will end up,” Shelton said.
Public transport, electricity generation and medical services will be given priority in fuel distribution. some will be allocated to ports and airports.
A team from the International Monetary Fund is visiting Sri Lanka to hold talks on $3 billion in bailouts.
Sri Lanka, though, hopes to reach an official agreement before the visit ends on Thursday. But it is unlikely to unlock funds immediately.
Photo – REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte
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