Petrol Pump Owners Not to Blame for Current Fuel Shortage
Petrol pump owners bear no responsibility for fuel crisis, says Vidarbha Petroleum Dealers' Association President, Amit Gupta. He affirmed that the closed pumps, a consequence of the ongoing transporters' strike, would resume operations once the supply normalizes.
Attributing the petrol and diesel shortage to the disruption in supply from oil company depots, Gupta clarified that the strike was initiated by truck and tanker drivers, emphasizing that petrol pump operators were not part of the protest.
Depots of three companies delivered fuel through 80 tankers on Monday and 20 on Tuesday. Gupta cautioned that if a resolution isn't reached through discussions, around 300 pumps in the district may not have petrol and diesel available for sale on Wednesday.
Highlighting the persistent lack of assurances from the government to the transporters, Gupta mentioned that the strike showed no signs of abating. He referred to the "Bharti Nyay (Second)" law published in the Gazette of India on December 25 under the President's signature, suggesting that the protests arose due to partial and misleading information circulating on social media.
Gupta called for drivers to dispel their doubts and resume work without fear, emphasizing that the law applies to everyone. He urged the government to take the initiative in addressing concerns and requested citizens to exercise restraint.
Notable figures mentioned in this context include Harjeet Singh Bagga, Pranay Parate, Jitendra Agrawal, Bablu Bhatia, and Aniruddha Deshmukh.
