Petrol and diesel operators in the city have withdrawn their strike after a written assurance by oil companies for their demand of enhanced commission. The operators throughout the state resumed their routine three-shift operation from Tuesday.
The dealers were operating petrol pumps in a single shift, 9 am to 5 pm, since Sunday midnight to press for their demands. The first day of the stir witnessed serpentine queues at petrol pumps. “In the light of written assurance, we have decided to withdraw the agitation with immediate effect. The actual quantum of the rise in the commission will be conveyed to us in 15 days. We have received a indication that we will get a 20 per cent hike,” said Ravi Shinde, general secretary of Confederation of Indian Petrol Dealers (CIPD).
Dealers have demanded implementation of the Apurva Chandra committee report that was appointed by the ministry of petroleum and natural gases. As per the recommendation of the committee, the commission should be given on the basis of retail sale price instead of the present system of fixed commission for every litre sold. It remains to be seen whether the petroleum ministry and oil companies will share the commission hike or it will be passed on to the consumer. Consumers can expect a hike if it is passed on to them.
Mr Shinde stated that the Marketing Discipline Gui-delines set for the petroleum dealers is also likely to be changed. Under the new change, consumers will now have to pay for using toilet facilities, air filling and cool filtered water at the fuel stations. There are 3,700 petrol and diesel stations across the state and another 290 in the city.