Kandy municipal services paralyzed as fuel depot storekeeper goes on leave, without handing over keys

Municipal operations in Kandy ground to a halt yesterday after the storekeeper in charge of the Kandy Municipal Council’s (KMC) fuel depot went on leave without handing over the keys to the premises. The situation escalated into a period of tension as official vehicles, including those assigned for essential dengue control and waste management operations, were left without access to fuel. Upon discovering that the fuel depot was locked, municipal staff attempted to contact the storekeeper via telephone to retrieve the keys. However, their efforts proved futile as the official’s phone had been switched off. During an inquiry into the incident, Kandy Mayor Chandrasiri Wijeyenayake questioned the official responsible for managing leave records. While the official initially claimed that leave had not been granted to the storekeeper, she later retracted her statement, informing the Mayor that she had made a mistake and that the storekeeper had indeed left on leave. Due to the lockout, the KMC was unable to supply fuel to its fleet for scheduled duties, forcing the council to arrange alternative fuel supplies from a local Cooperative filling station to maintain basic services. Speaking to the media, Mayor Chandrasiri Wijeyenayake expressed his strong disapproval of the incident. “Essential public services were disrupted because an employee chose to lock the depot and leave without authorization. It is unacceptable for certain officials to treat the Municipal Council as their private property,” he stated. The Mayor confirmed that he has ordered immediate disciplinary action against the storekeeper and the official responsible for the oversight regarding the leave records. By S.K. Samaranayake