News

News

No petrol: Police patrolling cut

UNP fumes over fuel quota cut for Ranil
Government has slashed Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe's fuel quota, a week after he launched the United National Party's propaganda campaign ahead of a presidential election.

Ministerial Security Division Director R.P.S.K Rajapakse told The Sunday Times the fuel quota cut was being applied for all MSD vehicles as the police had been directed to reduce the fuel quota. The SSP claimed that it would be applicable to all MSD vehicles including those provided for cabinet ministers.

UNP sources said the fuel quota cut would reduce the Opposition Leader to 15 days of official travel a month just as he was to spearhead a major campaign against the Government.

A spokesman for the opposition leader said it was the first time that the fuel quota for the security vehicles of an opposition leader was being reduced and during the previous UNP regime the then opposition leader was given all facilities for his security. He said the fuel quota supply would not apply for ministers as they could draw fuel supplies on the respective ministry accounts. He said that until Friday they had not received any response to the representations made.

Amidst an increasing crime rate, a directive by the Treasury to the police to cut down fuel usage by 25 percent has had an immediate impact on patrolling, investigations, responding to emergency calls and accidents.

The directive which came into effect this week has forced police stations islandwide to reduce the use of vehicles and motorcycles.

Police administrative officers said a Treasury circular had been issued to cut down the fuel usage by 25 percent on the basis there was wastage in the department. A vehicle is usually allocated a quota of 300 litres per month.

As an immediate impact, the police emergency service which operates 24 cars in Colombo has been forced to reduce its mobile patrolling in the night. Similar cuts have been made in other areas.

Deputy Inspector General Bodhi Liyanage who is in charge of administration denied that the fuel quota had been reduced. But other senior officials speaking on condition of anonymity said a fuel restriction had been imposed and as a result they had cut down operations.

"We have been instructed by the OIC to be careful when we carry out patrolling, go out for investigations or respond to emergency calls," a crime division OIC said.

"We are compelled to request some of the complainants to provide us transport for us to proceed with investigations or to visit scenes of accidents," he added.

Top

Back to News