Saurashtra petrol pump owners plan strike

More then 400 petrol and diesel pump owners of Saurashtra and Kutch have decided to stop purchases of fuel from September 1 to oppose the anti-dealer policies of oil companies.

Dealers of Bhavnagar, Una, Bhuj, Junagadh, Veraval, Porbandar and Gandhidham have supported the strike call.

According to Shivlal Bhanderi, president, Saurashtra Kutch Petrol Diesel Dealers Association, and Deep Shukla, secretary, dealers are suffering heavy losses in petrol and diesel after decantation and during transit.

"The viability of a retail outlet is under cloud. Pilferage during transportation is one of the chief causes of the heavy losses. Oil company officials at the regional level have been informed of this very serious problem, but they have done little to help," they said.

"The main reason for losses in transit is the low rates fixed by oil companies for transporters. Tankers operators are thus attracted for malpractices, which results in losses to dealers," Bhanderi said.

"In Saurashtra, the rate fixed by oil companies for transporters is 72 paise per kilometre. These rates are not feasible for the transporters. In most other parts of the state, the rate fixed is 96 paise per kilometre. We are calling for making the contracted rate for Saurashtra and Kutch similar to that of Ahmedabad, Vadodara or Surat," he added.

Another problem is the decision of oil companies to stop regular fuel supplies to the region.

"Earlier, the oil companies used to regularly feed the whole region of Kutch and Saurashtra from Kandla. But recently supplies have become abrupt. Dealers now have to go a long distance to Rajkot or Jamnagar to fetch products, resulting in heavy losses," Bhanderi said.