All the 408 petrol pumps in the city will remain shut for 24 hours from Friday morning with the dealers continuing with their demand to slash the VAT rates on diesel. However, the government remained unfazed by the strike call.
President of Delhi NCR petrol dealers’ association, Ajay Bansal, told this newspaper that the strike would begin at 6 am on Friday and will continue till 6 am Saturday. “All facilities and fuelling at CNG as well as petrol pumps will remain suspended,” said Mr Bansal.
The pump owners have been demanding a cut in the VAT rates on diesel and had given a strike call for April 9. However, the strike was called off at the last minute following an assurance by chief minister Sheila Dikshit.
However, Mr Bansal said that the government was not in a mood to listen to their problems. “There has been no communication from the government and we too are also now not making any attempts to get in touch with it,” said Mr Bansal, stressing that the “strike was very much on.” He added that for emergency services, nearly 20 government petrol pumps will remain open.
Mr Bansal, however, added that the pump owners will talk to the government only if the latter came up with a concrete proposal.
“Our demand remains that the price of diesel in the capital should be brought at par with Haryana. Due to the high VAT rates on diesel in the capital, our sales have dipped nearly 40 per cent,” said Mr Bansal. The dealers have also decided to keep the petrol pumps closed on every Monday.