President of Lanka General Services Union (LGSU) Jayaratne Maliyagoda has asked the government to ban motor sports events taking into account soaring fuel prices.

The enormous amount of fuel wasted on these races and allied sports ultimately become a burden on the masses and by add to their woes by pushing up prices of consumer goods, he noted.

Millions of rupees worth of petrol, diesel and lubricating oil are wasted on motor racing events within a few hours, he complained.

Maliyagoda is now drafting a memorandum to President Mahinda Rajapaksa urging that steps be taken to suspend motor sports or other allied events where fuel is guzzled up in a big way. "This is also a drain on our valuable foreign exchange".

The cost of fuel wasted on motor racing has already burdened the masses, particularly at this juncture when food prices are soaring, he pointed out. "People find it difficult to make ends meets while a handful of sports-lovers waste fuel for joy."

In addition to the ban on motor sports, Maliyagoda also proposes the rationing of petrol and diesel on the basis of issuing fuel only for absolutely necessary requirements of motorists in view of the crisis. "Rationing will curtail the use of motor vehicles for less important purposes", he noted.