No need for panic buying: Indian Oil assures ample fuel stocks amid escalating tensions
New Delhi: The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) on Friday reassured the public that there is no shortage of fuel across the country and urged citizens not to engage in panic buying.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), IOCL stated, “IndianOil has ample fuel stocks across the country, and our supply lines are operating smoothly. There is no need for panic buying—fuel and LPG are readily available at all our outlets.” The company further appealed to the public to remain calm, emphasizing that avoiding unnecessary rush would help maintain uninterrupted fuel supply across India.
This clarification comes after social media was inundated with visuals of long queues at petrol pumps, especially in Punjab, following the recent military escalation between India and Pakistan. The spike in fuel purchases follows India’s retaliatory missile strike, dubbed Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Reports from local media noted a sharp surge in fuel demand in border districts of Punjab, with some petrol pump operators claiming sales had tripled. The panic buying began after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 individuals, including one Nepali citizen. The incident led to heightened tensions, with both countries downgrading diplomatic ties and frequent ceasefire violations reported along the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistani artillery shelling has since claimed the lives of at least 16 civilians.
Adding to the tension, parts of Punjab including Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Mohali, and Chandigarh experienced blackouts on Thursday night following missile and drone strikes launched by Pakistan. Air raid sirens were activated in Pathankot as a precautionary measure, according to a PTI report.
Authorities have advised the public to stay informed through official channels and avoid spreading misinformation, as the situation remains sensitive.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
