Amaravati, Apr 27 (PTI) Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh on Monday hit out at the NDA coalition government over the “ongoing fuel crisis”, accusing it of administrative failure and seeking immediate restoration of fuel supplies across the state.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y S Sharmila Reddy said the situation reflects a collapse of governance, claiming that people are struggling for fuel and that the state is witnessing an unprecedented shortage.
“The government, which cannot even prevent a fuel shortage, claims it will uplift the state. People are standing in long queues while petrol bunks display ‘No Stock’ boards,” Sharmila said in an APCC press release.
The APCC chief alleged that nearly 70 per cent of fuel stations were shut and termed the hardship faced by citizens as “indescribable.” She said the NDA coalition government must act on a war footing, identify lapses in the supply chain, and ensure that the shortage does not disrupt public life or lead to a rise in essential commodity prices.
Sharmila said that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu should be ashamed that a fuel crisis of this magnitude, not seen elsewhere in the country, has emerged in Andhra Pradesh.
“It is unfortunate that such a situation has arisen in a state that extended strong support to Narendra Modi in becoming the prime minister,” she said.
Naidu merely conducting review meetings and consultations will not resolve the fuel shortage being faced by the people, she remarked.
YSRCP leaders and former ministers Kurasala Kannababu and Vellampalli Srinivas also demanded immediate restoration of fuel supply, stating that the shortage is severely impacting agriculture, transport, and other sectors.
“Fuel is the lifeline of the economy. Agricultural operations have come to a standstill as farmers are unable to operate harvesters due to a diesel shortage,” they said while addressing a press conference.
They pointed to long queues of vehicles across the state and alleged that, despite official claims, fuel is not available on the ground, affecting farmers, students, and workers alike.
The YSRCP leaders criticised Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for failing to effectively address the crisis and questioned the absence of key ministers during the situation.
They also highlighted distress among maize and aquaculture farmers, stating that many are unable to recover input costs due to disruptions caused by the fuel shortage.
Both the APCC and the YSRCP accused the government of failing to secure adequate fuel supplies despite being part of the NDA alliance led by Narendra Modi, and called for urgent intervention by the Centre.
Alleging misplaced priorities, the YSRCP leaders said that while fuel remains scarce, liquor is freely available across the state, raising concerns over governance.
Demanding immediate action, the opposition parties said the government must treat the issue as an emergency and restore the fuel supply chain within 48 hours to prevent further disruption.
Meanwhile, Naidu reviewed the prevailing fuel situation across the state, assessing measures implemented from Sunday night through Monday afternoon.
He conducted a teleconference with Civil Supplies Minister N Manohar, district collectors, Superintendents of Police (SPs), officials of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), and other senior functionaries.
Officials informed the CM that normalcy would be restored in most places by Monday, according to a press release.
Naidu instructed state authorities and OMCs to coordinate closely to ensure the prompt restoration of petrol and diesel supplies.
According to OMC officials, oil tankers that departed from dispatch centres on Monday morning would reach petrol pumps the same day.
The CM further directed collectors and SPs to personally oversee fuel distribution to prevent inconvenience to the public.
He also asked officials and ministers to provide updates every three hours using inputs from the Real Time Governance System (RTGS).
Further, Naidu directed officials to crack down on fuel black marketing and hoarding, the press release added. PTI MS SSK
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