| Oil company executives told Business Standard that stocks available at retail outlet stand reduced to roughly about 0.8 million tonne (mt) diesel and 0.16 mt petrol. These amount to seven-day stocks instead of the normal 15-day stocks. |
| Explaining the reason, an official said, "The refineries are pushing less throughput in order to attain lower sulphur grade fuel." |
| Production of refined petroleum products at 11.06 mt was marginally down in January. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), with share in the market, has its pumpable stock reduced to 0.25 mt for diesel and 0.05 mt. |
| The supply constraint is maximum in the north-west region. The auto fuel policy makes it mandatory on the part of petroleum companies and automobile companies to make changes in the fuel quality and vehicles in a phased manner for preventing vehicular pollution. |
| Under a Supreme Court directive, only Euro III compliant petrol and diesel and new four wheeler vehicles would be sold in 11 cities from April 1, 2005 onwards. |
| The order also specifies that BS II compliant auto fuel should be sold in the remaining country by the deadline. Automobile companies can sell only BS II compliant two wheelers from the date. |
| Private sector refiner Reliance has indicated to IOC that it would be in a position to supply 100,000-150,000 tonne BS II fuel, revising its earlier stance indicated that it was not in a position to supply the fuel, said an IOC official. |
| Public sector oil companies had given an undertaking to the court that they would commence supplies of clean fuel from April 1. The ministry of petroleum and natural gas has begun the process of seeking an exemption from the court. |
| The oil companies are also seeking an increase in the retail price of Euro III diesel and petrol since it is about $4 per barrel more expensive than Euro II. |
| They had stopped importing petroleum products but had to resort to imports for petrol and diesel with low sulphur and benzene content. |
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