Defunct Oil depot: Meghalaya in dilemma

A REPORTER

SHILLONG, Feb 3: The Oil depot for petrol and diesel located at Umiam, Ri-Bhoi Meghalaya has been non-functiol for the past many years and the reason is, Indian Oil Ltd, Assam Oil Division has refused to use the depot since its distance is too close with another depot located at Lokhra TAP of Point, Assam. As per the regulations of India Oil Ltd the distance from one oil depot to another should be 150 km, however the distance from the oil depot at Lokhra to Umiam is lesser than the required 150 km. While speaking with one petrol pump worker, he said due to the non availability of an oil depot for petrol and diesel in the state it has in turn created huge losses and if there is any agitation or strikes in Assam it will put Meghalaya in a dilemma to get petrol. “If there is a total strike in Assam for even just one week all the vehicles in Meghalaya will run dry,” he said. The defunct Oil depot at Umiam has deprived the youths of the state in getting employment. “There is a need to have at least one depot in the state in case if something happens in other neighbouring states which will make oil tanker trucks hard to transport petrol in to Meghalaya but if we have a functiol depot we will be self sufficient,” he said.