No qualms about violating rule
Selling petrol
Petrol pumps across the City continue to sell loose petrol. This is in clear violation of the rule that bans all pumps from selling loose petrol and what is worse is that they charge more when it’s sold in a bottle.
Pump managers throw their hands up in the air and say they have to oblige when people come to them saying their vehicle is out of petrol and stranded.
People argue that they are helpless when the vehicle runs out of petrol. Considering the practicality of the problem, the rule is ignored. Metrolife spoke to some pump owners and people in general to understand why this rule is violated with impunity.
The pump owners point out that people come asking petrol for Rs 100 and Rs 200 and most often, the pumps give in to their demands.
“We are actually doing a social service by agreeing to give petrol for Rs 100 or Rs 200, depending on their demand and also by obliging to fill petrol in bottles when their vehicles run out of petrol. We could stop giving out petrol in bottles and sell it for a smaller sum of money. If we don’t give, we will be disappointing a lot of people,” says B R Ravindranath, President of Bangalore Petroleum Dealers’ Association.
An owner of one of the petrol bunks on the Outer Ring Road says lot of people come to his bunk with bottles when they run out of petrol. “It’s a trend that we just can’t control. What do we tell somebody who tells us that his vehicle is stranded? We blindly oblige seeing their plight. But we don’t charge anything extra for that,” he reasons.
Azmath Pasha, another bunk owner in Wilson Garden, says he has seen people who come with bottles to fill petrol. “We are helpless and can’t refuse petrol to people when they say that their vehicle is stranded. We have to believe what people say. Most of them also offer to pay extra just to make sure that we don’t refuse,” says Azmath.
While one section of the public fears the misuse of petrol and says selling loose petrol must not be banned altogether, another section feels it is helpful in times of need. Abin J John, a software engineer with McAfee says the government must legalise selling one or two litres of petrol in bottles.
“Though it is illegal, this facility is available in most of the petrol bunks. This is very helpful to the public in case the vehicle runs out of fuel. However, a large quantity of fuel should not be sold in barrels as this can be misused,” he said.
Karthika Rao, a teacher, feels selling loose petrol must be stopped altogether. “At a time when crime is at its peak, you never know how this can be misused. This must be regulated and controlled.”
But Randeep Hari, a techie, confesses that he can’t imagine pushing his vehicle if he’s stranded without fuel. “There is no harm in selling small quantities of loose petrol. Imagine getting stranded without petrol somewhere in the City and the nearest petrol station is miles away,” he wraps up.
