Chennai, March 12 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday urged the public not to panic about the availability of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas amid growing concerns triggered by the ongoing West Asia conflict, assuring that the country has adequate fuel reserves.

In a statement, Stalin said the Union government had reiterated that India possesses sufficient stock of crude oil and petroleum products, and emphasised that there was no need for panic buying.

The Chief Minister added that the Tamil Nadu government would extend full support to the Centre in managing any challenges arising from the international situation.

Despite these assurances, retail fuel outlets across Chennai and several other cities and towns in the state have witnessed an unusual surge in customers since Wednesday afternoon.

Long queues were reported at multiple petrol bunks, with some stations temporarily running dry as anxious motorists rushed to fill their tanks.

At several outlets in Chennai, queues reportedly stretched up to 40 cars, more than 150 two-wheelers, and around 20 to 30 autorickshaws.

The sudden rush has been largely attributed to rumours about a potential disruption in fuel supply due to the conflict in West Asia.

Oil industry sources said fuel consumption in the state saw a sharp increase within a single day. Diesel sales rose by about 17 per cent on Wednesday, while petrol sales recorded a significant jump of 32 per cent as consumers hurried to stock up.

Industry representatives, however, stressed that there is no shortage of fuel in the country.

According to petroleum dealers, India currently maintains crude oil reserves sufficient for approximately 74 days through a combination of underground storage caverns, refinery stocks, and shipments arriving at various ports. They also pointed out that the government has already begun diversifying procurement by securing crude supplies from countries that are not affected by the ongoing conflict.

Fuel dealers have appealed to the public to avoid panic buying and continue purchasing fuel only according to their regular requirements. They warned that unnecessary stocking could disrupt the normal supply chain and create artificial shortages at retail outlets.

Petrol bunk operators also reported that customer traffic increased sharply after some private outlets temporarily shut operations during peak demand, forcing motorists to flock to pumps run by state-owned oil marketing companies.

Officials expressed confidence that normal supply would continue as long as consumers refrain from panic-driven purchases.

–IANS

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