Guwahati: Minister K Lalrinliana of Mizoram announced that the state government intends to build an oil storage in the state, with construction expected to begin within the next three months.
The minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs said on Monday that the state regularly faced shortages in supply as there are no oil depots in Mizoram presently.
While addressing a session at the offices of the Mizo National Front (MNF), Lalrinliana said, “We are the only state in the country that has no oil depot. We don’t have any storage facilities outside those in filling stations, which can only store fuel for five days.”
Construction on the oil depot is set to begin in the coming months, according to him.
According to Lalrinliana, the state administration is also working to establish more gas bottling factories that can stockpile LPG supply for at least three months.
Mizoram minister also stated that the state had enough rice to last for seven months.
It may be noted that Mizoram recently experienced a severe scarcity of petrol as a result of torrential rains that caused landslides and floods in numerous sections of neighbouring Assam and Meghalaya, severing supply lines. Mizoram largely imports oil and LPG from Assam.
However, the situation has now improved, according to an official of the state’s supply department.