3,000 petro outlets go on two days strike in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: About 3,000 petrol outlets in Rajasthan on Wednesday began their two-day strike, leaving auto riders in lurch.

Rajasthan Petrol Dealers Association has called the strike demanding parity in VAT rates on auto fuels with that in neighbouring states Delhi, Haryana and Punjab.

The petrol dealers would lose a sale turnover of Rs 125 crore and the state government about Rs 25 crore in 48 hours of the strike, Suneet Bagai President of told the media.

Dealers in Rajasthan were registering a negative growth in last five years due to higher prices in the state compared to the rates in neighbouring states where most of the heavy vehicles fill up their tanks, he said.

He demanded a cut of Rs 2-3 per litre by the state BJP government. A reduction would also give respite to common man, he added.

Customers, mostly two-wheelers, were seen searching petrol from one outlet to another, and many of them left their vehicles near the outlets after failing to tow or push them.

Bagai, who led a delegation of his office-bearers late last night to hold talks with S N Gupta, vice-chairman of Public Grievance and Redresal Commission, said the state government expressed its inability to reduce prices as it would cost a heavy burden on exchequer.