Mathura Refinery resumes bitumen supply

Bitumen dispatch from Mathura Refinery to different parts of the country has been resumed amid the lockdown to contain coronavirus pandemic, a senior official of the facility said.

"100 trucks, loaded with Bitumen are dispatched daily from the refineryArvind Kumar, Executive Director Mathura Refinery said while talking to reporters on Sunday.

Since the beginning of lockdown, while petrol/ diesel was being supplied through pipeline, dispatch of bitumen by road was suspended.

Since Refinery is in operation, round the clock, the stock of Bitumen was gradually increasing.

Due to the over stock of Bitumen in the refinery, its dispatch was necessary, he said, adding that it could materialize after taking district administration and Uttar Pradesh PWD department into confidence and following their guideline.

Truck drivers/ cleaners, proceeding different areas, are provided face mask, sanitiser and food packets to save them from inconvenience, he stated.

Kumar said during the three-week lockdown, while the demand of diesel and petrol reduced, order for LPG filled cylinders increased.

Owing to the increased LPG demand, the production of LPG has been enhanced.

According to Kumar, the refinery has sufficient stock of BSVI fuel.

At a time when country is fighting to contain coronavirus, officers and regular as well as contract workers are working in shifts to ensure availability of products, chief of the refinery said.

Refinery staff, including workers (regular as well as contractual), are working to ensure social distancing, sanitizing the area, and providing food packets to needy daily wage workers and poor.

Kumar said, while 300 liters of sanitizers have been given to district administration, jail staff, and transport facilities.

Not only over ten thousand face masks, sanitizers have been distributed among neighbouring villages, for awareness to contain covid-19 "guidance to follow Dos and Don't's through loud speakers is on, the refinery chief said.