Seeking more commission, fuel stations remain shut for 15 minutes

Seeking implementation of the recommendations of the Apoorvachandra Committee report, petroleum dealers in the city on Wednesday switched off lights and closed petrol bunks for 15 minutes between 7 pm and 7.15 pm as a symbolic protest.

‘Protest successful’

“The symbolic protest was highly successful as 98% of the bunks in the city remained closed and lights were switched off,” president of Bengaluru Petroleum Dealers’ Association and Akhila Karnataka Federation of Petroleum Traders B R Ravindranath told DH.

“We have decided against buying petrol and diesel from oil terminals across the country on November 3  and 4. We will work for only one shift between 9 am and 6 pm from November 5. We have also decided to close the bunks on all Sundays, second and fourth Saturdays of the month and on all national holidays to cut down expenditure,” he said.

Committee constituted

The Petroleum Ministry constituted a committee to study working conditions of low selling, medium selling and high selling bunks in 2010 headed by Apoorvachandra. Directors of marketing from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharath Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPC) were members. The report was submitted in 2011, but the recommendations are yet to be implemented.

“The commission on a litre of petrol and diesel was Rs 2.20 and Rs 1.25 respectively. The committee recommended a hike of Re 1 on petrol and 60 paise on diesel, but oil companies decided to give 10 paise on petrol and 8 paise on diesel. Hence, we are protesting the decision,” he said.