May 21, Colombo: The Committee on Public Enterprises has instructed Litro Gas to distribute 60% of its LP gas cylinders to highly populated areas like Colombo and Gampaha and districts with limited alternative energy sources.

Accordingly, it was decided that 60% of the gas cylinders distributed daily would be distributed to Colombo and Gampaha districts.

The company made the announcement when it appeared before the COPE yesterday to comment on the gas distribution delay.

Prof. Charitha Herath, Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), has instructed that these distributions be made within the next one week or so.

Gas is being distributed through 42 key agents and other sub-agents island wide, Vijitha Herath, Chairman, Litro said.

He said that due to the inclement weather it was difficult to connect the buoy at Muthurajawela and the ship had to be brought to the Port of Colombo to unload gas.

It has also been revealed that the gas supply could be maintained in the next three months through the 120 million US Dollars received from the Indian credit facility. It was also recommended to publish the correct information of gas distribution on the website and in a mobile application and to provide information through 24 hour hotline numbers.

The COPE Committee has also recommended that steps be taken to explore the possibility of providing some financial strength from the Insurance Corporation’s reserves at this time.