Saving fuel

A Presidential appeal to the public to cut down on their fuel consumption, although coming in the wake of the steep rise in world oil prices was long overdue. We say this because a majority of the public so far had failed to appreciate the looming economic crisis if one were to observe the wasteful extravagances that is indulged in today involving a heavy drain of fuel.

The cavalier lifestyles of the elite sections of society stand out in this respect. It is as if they had taken their opulent existence for granted with nary a care for the costs that fuel such existence.

There are those who cannot survive without air conditioners in their homes. Others take delight in disporting themselves in the latest models of fuel-guzzling motor vehicles. With plenty of money to burn, for them guzzling up fuel is mere routine.

The spoilt lifestyles led by a vastly gadget oriented society have blinded themselves to their responsibilities and obligations with the result that the State keeps on importing fuel beyond its average requirements to pander to the lifestyles of these segments.

It is in this backdrop that one should view the President's objective of targeting a 25 per cent reduction of petroleum consumption by the public. The Cabinet is also to decide on the mode by which this is to be achieved.

One of the proposals mooted is providing a shuttle bus service to motorists from a certain point in the city outskirts with parking facilities, to get to their offices or other destinations in the city proper. An experiment in this regard is to commence from Katubedda in August.

There is also the vehicle toll system which had been on the drawing boards for a long time but not implemented. While measures like these would no doubt help check fuel waste to some extent more comprehensive steps need to be mapped out where a constant finger on kept on the fuel pulse.

It has been revealed that petroleum accounts for 30% of the country's overall imports and according to the CPC we would have to spend a colossal US$ 4 billion on petroleum imports if the present trend continues, i.e. an additional US$ 1.6 billion over the current bill.

And with further petroleum price hikes in the offing in the fall out of the Chinese earthquake the President sounded a note of alarm vis-a-vis the overall impact to the economy.

The President's concern could be understood in the context that Rs. 30 billion worth of fuel is wasted on our highways every year due to traffic congestion alone according to a recent study. In contrast, the total allocation for Samurdhi is Rs.9 billion.

In other words the rich waste three times the amount allocated for the Government's premier poor relief programme, on the roads. If only this shortfall could be recouped how many more schools, roads, infrastructure facilities could be built in entire villages and how many houses could be constructed for the deserving ? How many more self employment projects can be created for Samurdhi families ?

True, the oil price hike has plunged many a country into crisis. The public should have been warned on how to cope with a crisis of the present magnitude in advance. The open appraisal of the situation even at this late stage therefore should be acknowledged and commended.

It is hoped the public at large would heed this warning and come to the rescue of the country. For if the issue spirals out of control there is no saying how this will affect the mega development programmes now in the pipeline not to mention the smooth prosecution of the war which cumulatively will affect the country as a whole.

The Government on its part should lead from the front and order all institutions to practice austerity.

The use of Government vehicles should be restricted to only important assignments and other fuel saving measures should be strictly enforced. According to newspaper reports, a large number of Government vehicles had been seen over the recent long weekend in Nuwara Eliya and not many of them would have been there on official business.

As we have often stated in these columns Government Departments have been the worse culprits when it comes to waste through indifference and lackadaisical attitudes towards conservation.

An effective media campaign too should be launched reaching out to the widest possible audience so that the Government's fuel conservation drive would bear fruit.