IOC ensures availability of petroleum products in flood-affected regions of Uttarakhand, Himachal

KOLKATA: In the wake of the unprecedented flash-floods and landslides that devastated most parts of the Uttarakhand State, Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil) has made all arrangements to ensure uninterrupted supply of petroleum products in the affected areas and fuel for the relief teams of the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, ITBP, Border Roads Organisation and other organisations engaged in the rescue operations.

"With dedicated teams on standby round-the-clock at different affected locations, IndianOil has also positioned adequate stocks of all vital petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG, at various places in the region. The situation is being closely monitored and efforts being made to ensure that fuel supplies are readily available for all rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations in the area," the company said in a statement.

IndianOil has also moved mobile aviation refuellers over long distances in inhospitable terrain and positioned them at Joshimath, Dharasu, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, Gauchar and Sahastradhara ( Dehradun) in Uttarakhand, besides at Rampur and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, to ensure faster refuelling of the choppers that are taking part in the relief operations.

Since commencement on 19th June, 2013, over 350 refuellings of choppers have been carried out by IndianOil, and about 250 kilolitres (kl) of ATF (Aviation Turbine Fuel) has been delivered to the helicopters involved in the rescue sorties. Back-up supplies of 300 kl have also been arranged for these mobile refuellers to ensure uninterrupted availability of ATF to the Indian Defence Forces.

IndianOil has also rushed LPG refill cylinders to the LPG distributors in the affected areas from its LPG bottling plants at Haridwar and Haldwani. Both the plants are operating to capacity and all efforts are being made to dispatch more cooking gas LPG loads to the affected areas in coordination with the State Government.