Panic buying on as petro dealers’ protest begins

Manjit Singh,a Jalandhar resident said: “We are purchasing extra diesel as the petrol pumps may go dry anytime.”

Meanwhile,the PPDA president JP Dutta said that the the dealers will continue with their operations and sell fuel only till the stocks last. He also appealed the masses to desist from hoarding petrol and diesel.

“If our demands are not met then we will again resort to this method of protest next month also,” Dutta added. Over 2,700 fuel outlets in Punjab are associated with the Association. The monthly consumption of petrol and diesel in the state stands at 45,000 kilo litres and 1.75 lakh kl,respectively.

He said that the petro-product dealers contributing nearly Rs 2,800 crore to the government’s kitty every year but the wrong tax policies of the government have led people to buy fuel from neighbouring Haryana and Himachal Pradesh where petro-products are comparatively cheaper.

There is no octori as well as surcharge on such products in HP and Haryana,he said while adding that Punjab ‘s districts which shares border with haryana are much affected.

Punjab levies 32.25 per cent of taxes,including 27.50 per cent VAT,cess,octroi and surcharge.