Sameer Singh
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, December 12
The sale of petrol and diesel has come down considerably after the farmers' stir began over two months ago. With a restricted vehicular movement due to the ongoing agitation and farmers staying put at the Delhi borders, the sale of fuel has declined in the state.
Petroleum dealers rued that earlier the Covid-induced lockdowns impacted the sales and now the farmers' agitation had affected their business adversely.
In Bathinda district alone, there are 220 petrol stations, selling approximately 4 lakh litres of petrol and diesel on a daily basis. According to the Bathinda Petroleum Dealers' Association, the sales have come down to 2.5 to 3 lakh litres, a decline of 30 per cent. There are approximately 3,269 petrol pumps operating in the state currently.
"Our sales have dipped more than 30 per cent since the farm agitation started. The vehicular movement, including that of tractors and heavy vehicles, has decreased significantly. The transportation of grocery, veggies, industrial goods and other essential items by heavy vehicles has been hit hard due to the protest. The losses are mounting on a daily basis," Vinod Bansal, a Bathinda-based petrol dealer, said, stressing the government must break the deadlock at the earliest.
A state-level executive committee member of the Punjab Petroleum Dealers' Association said the dip in sale of fuel is causing a heavy revenue loss to the state and Centre Government on account of VAT and excise duty.
In Bathinda, 30% decline
As per the Bathinda Petroleum Dealers' Association, the daily fuel sale at 220 petrol stations in the district has come down to 2.5 to 3 lakh litres, registering a 30% decline. Before the stir began, the stations were selling approximately 4 lakh litres of petrol and diesel on a daily basis
from The Tribune https://ift.tt/3mhbOMm
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