Personal loss not withstanding, IOC Chairman continues to manage fuel supplies during lockdown

New Delhi, Mar 29 () He lost his father on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared a 21-day nationwide lockdown but Sanjiv Singh, Chairman of India's largest oil firm, Indian Oil Corp (IOC), was back at managing uninterrupted fuel supplies within 24 hours.

Singh, who has been overseeing refinery operations and distribution chain since the time states declared restrictions to check spread of coronavirus in mid-March, lost his 89-year-old father on March 24.

Within 24-hours he was back in action, converting his parental home at Lucknow into a war room, monitoring operations and supplies to see no part of the country went dry at anytime.

"My father lived in Lucknow and on March 24 we received a call about his being unwell. I along with my wife decided to drive down to Lucknow but one hour into the drive, we received a call of he being no more," Singh told .

"It was a great personal loss," an emotional Singh said.

But he set aside his personal loss for the call of duty.

"What I am doing is just my job. There are hundreds and thousands of oilmen across the country who are risking their well-being in ensuring we continue to fuel the country," he said.

Singh keeps a minute eye on all operations through daily reviews done through video conferencing and hundreds of phone calls.

"We have a duty towards this country and we are just doing that," he said. "We have taken precautions in running refineries, depots and marketing infrastructure. Consumer facing part of our business - petrol pumps and LPG distributorships - have been handed over personal protection gears."

IOC is providing free food packets to truckers transporting fuel from depots to petrol pumps and LPG distributor agencies. "There are no roadside dhabas open."

The company is also finalising a Rs 5 lakh personal insurance for petrol pump and LPG distributor agency staff in case of any facility. Also, a medical insurance scheme is in works, he said.

Singh said IOC's terminals, depots, LPG distributorship and petrol pumps are well-stocked with petrol, diesel and LPG to meet any supply requirement during and after the lockdown.

All 119 Aviation Fuel Stations of IndianOil across the country are operating with optimum strength and full safety precautions to meet the aviation fuel (ATF) needs of Defence aircraft, cargo flights and medical ambulances.

Modi had on March 24 ordered all 1.3 billion people in the country to stay inside their homes for three weeks starting March 25 - the biggest and most severe action undertaken anywhere to stop the spread of the coronavirus. ANZ BAL