JOIN USWith no concrete action from the government to address the demands of petroleum dealers, the Akhila Karnataka Federation of Petroleum Traders (AKFPT) on Saturday reiterated their stand to work in single shift from Monday. Consequently, vehicle owners are likely to jostle for their share as the bunks in the City will shut shop at 6 pm.
“No petrol bunk in the city will open before 9 am from Monday,” B R Ravindranath, president of AKFPT and the Bangalore Petroleum Dealers Association, told Deccan Herald.
According to the single shift formula, petrol bunks in urban areas across the State will be open from 9 am and 6 pm, while those outside the city limits and on highways will function between 6 pm and 6 am.
However, the decision has not gone down well with vehicle owners. “We are yet to recover from the three bandh calls in the last few weeks. The petrol dealers and the government should sit and resolve the matter through talks,” said Narahari K, a resident of Vijayanagar.
Yogitha N, a resident of Koramangala, said the single shift formula was a blackmail strategy adopted by the petroleum dealers as they know it will cause inconvenience to the public. “The government is taking its own time to address the issue. As always, we are the sufferers,” she said.
Subhendu G, a call centre cab driver said long queues at the petrol bunks will hamper his work schedule. “Software companies are very punctual. If even 30 minutes are wasted in getting fuel, what should I tell my bosses?”
The federation has demanded that the Centre implements recommendations of the Apoorva Chandra committee report, which advocated periodic review of dealer commissions by the oil manufacturing companies during the months of January and July, taking into account variations in minimum wages and power rates. “The committee has also fixed the dealers’ renumeration at Rs 12,000,” said Girish M, a member of the federation.
The Apoorva Chandra committee was formed in 2010 under the chairmanship of Apoorva Chandra, Joint Secretary (Marketing), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, to devise a suitable mechanism for fixing dealer commission.
Over 120 dealers from different states had presented their views before the committee, which submitted a set of recommendations to the Central government. The committee had also fixed the minimum number of employees in a standard petrol bunk. “With the single shift formula set to hit jobs, we have decided to accommodate as many workers as possible in the single shift to reduce the damage,” said Girish.