Petrol bunks across Tamil Nadu have threatened to cut down working hours unless the Petroleum Ministry hikes their fuel commission.
According to representatives of the Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers Association, the decision by dealers is part of an-all India effort led by the dealers’ Federation demanding the implementation of the Apurva Chandra Committee report which provides for the hike in commission to the dealers.
The Government had approved the Committee’s report and orders have been passed in January 2011. But it is yet to be gazetted and the orders implemented. It provides for hiking the dealers commission to Rs 1.61 a litre of petrol from the present Rs 1.49 and on diesel, a 4-5 paise hike on the prevailing commission of 89 paise.
The Committee, which included chairpersons of three oil companies, Hindustan Petroleum, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum, and two senior officials from the Petroleum Ministry also provides for a number of other measures to improve the viability of petroleum dealerships, a representative said.
On October 1 and 2, the 3,800 fuel dealerships will not purchase stocks from the oil companies. A fortnight later, unless the Government acts on its own GO, the dealers will implement cost-cutting measures including restricting the working hours to one shift of eight hours, the representative said.
This move will be a part of the all-India protest by the dealers.