Following a tripartite meeting between petrol dealers, oil companies and state government officials, petrol pump owners in south Bengal and Kolkata have withdrawn from their stand of abstaining from fuel purchase.
The West Bengal Petroleum Dealer' Association, commanding a base of nearly 800 petrol pumps, had previously called for refraining from fuel purchase from oil companies effective May 21 following a set of allegations.
"We had a meeting between the State Home Secretary Sanjay Mitra, other state officials, oil company officials and us to discuss our grievances following which an agreement was reached," association general secretary Saradindu Pal told IANS.
"We are hence withdrawing from our previous stance of refraining from oil purchase and petrol pumps in the city or south Bengal won't be running dry."
The association had alleged that oil companies have developed a nexus with truck operators in the state forcing oil dealers to avail of third-party trucks despite about 60 percent of dealers owning their own oil tankers.
Adulteration of petrol and diesel, and misbehaviour of oil firm officials were also alleged.
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"It has been agreed that our oil tankers can ferry oil to the pumps without any hurdle and police in the state will supervise that the oil from tankers is not stolen or robbed by the oil mafia and no adulteration takes place," Pal said.
He said senior officials from Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum, who attended the tripartite meeting, assured of proper conduct in their dealings with the petrol pump owners.
"We have started filling the pumps again but will review the situation on June 26. If we find whatever was agreed upon has been violated, we will start with a fresh series of agitations," Pal added.
A part of petrol pumps in the city ran dry on Friday due to scarcity of the liquid gold.