No fuel for private vehicles, only essential services until July 10

All schools in the Colombo Zone & suburbs of the Western Province & schools in main cities of other provinces will remain closed until 10 July

By Yohan Perera  

At a time when the fuel supply is rapidly declining, the government has restricted issuing fuel to private vehicles and started to provide fuel only for essential services from last night, a senior minister said.  All schools in the Colombo Zone & suburbs of the Western Province & schools in main cities of other provinces will remain closed until 10 July. Schools in other areas will function as per the discretion of the Principals and education officials, the Cabinet Spokesperson said.   

Cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardena last evening said that at the yesterday’s cabinet meeting it was decided to provide fuel to essential series, such as ports, health sector, distribution of essential food items, and transportation of agricultural products etc until July 10.  He said that the fuel crisis in the country was discussed at length at the Cabinet meeting held yesterday (27) and it was decided to issue fuel only for essential services.  He also assured that a mechanism to provide a continuous supply of LP gas and fuel would be in place after the 10th of July. Inter-provincial transport services will be halted due to limited stocks of fuel, the minister said.  He also said that filling stations will not issue fuel to private vehicles during this period.  He added that the supply of fuel for essential services is done at SLTB depots and tri-forces manning filling stations.  

It’s not lockdown, but working from home until July 10

• Expresses hope that country will return to normalcy after July10

By Sunil Jayasiri

Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said this is not a lockdown situation but it’s working from home until July 10.

He made this comment after the government announced to issue fuel only for essential services from midnight today until July10.  “Don’t treat this as a lockdown situation, it’s the work from home process until July 10 and hoping country will return to normalcy after that,” he said.  He also said that all other areas in towns,villages, should function as they used to like other days as, “we need people to be there in their respective areas”.