Petrol dealers threaten to restrict functioning to 8 hours

Say will work on single-shift basis from Oct 15 if demands including higher dealer commision not met

Over 70,000 petrol pumps across the country would function only for eight hours a day from October 15 if demands including higher dealer commission were not met by oil companies by then, petroleum dealers said today.

The pumps, under the umbrella of the Confederation of Indian Petroleum Dealers, would also stop purchase of fuel from oil companies on October 1 and 2 as part of the stir to press their demands, Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers' Association, a member of the confederation, said.

"About 70,000 petrol pumps across 18 states and over 3,600 in Tamil Nadu would work on single shift basis - eight hours a day from October 15 onwards if our demands are not met, in order to cut down our cost on salaries and electricity charges," Association Secretary M Haider Ali told reporters here.

On their decision not to purchase high speed diesel and motor spirit from oil marketing companies, he said they were paying 33% taxes on diesel and 49% on motor spirit respectively, to Central and State governments.

"This will be affected on the two days (October 1 and 2). It will create huge losses to the Government. We want the Ministry (of Petroleum and Natural Gas) to take note of our protest and take steps to implement the Apoorva Chandra Committee recommendations," he said.

According to Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers Assocation (TNPDA) representatives, the committee has suggested among other things, increasing the commission paid to the petrol pump operators and minimum wage of employees in petrol pumps.

"Though the Committee has given its recommendations in 2010, the Ministry is yet to implement it", a TNPDA official said.