The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Steep hike in price of petrol fuels distress, anger

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 07, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Steep hike in price of petrol fuels distress, anger

Staff Reporter

Long queues witnessed at petrol bunks

I'M THE FIRST... . TO BEAT THE HIKE!: Frantic motorists queuing up at a petrol bunk in Hyderabad on Tuesday night to get `gains' on the fuel price. - Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: The steep increase in the rise of petrol and diesel prices for the fifth time in the last 18 months raised the hackles of Hyderabadis.

As soon as the announcement of increase in petrol and diesel prices came at noon on Tuesday, long queues were witnessed at the petrol bunks.

This is said to be the highest ever the Hyderabadis have shelled out for a litre of petrol in its history - all of a staggering Rs. 50.

Evidently, this was a cause for much heartburn and needless to say, deep hole in their pockets.

Thanks to the existing tax tier, people of Hyderabad and the State traditionally pay up more for petrol and diesel than their counterparts elsewhere in the country, including metros like Delhi and Chennai.

`Outrageous' decision

The heartburn fuelled by the new prices found a reflection in the protests that started from various quarters. "This is outrageous. The middle class will be hit very hard. If this is the situation, they will have to say goodbye to individual transport and shift to MMTS or RTC," lamented Praveen Kumar, a resident of Kukatpally working as a human resources manager in a private firm at Begumpet.

Concurred another motorist, Praveen Singhvee: "They have hiked the rates so many times in just a short span of one year with little concern for the commoner."

Till late in the night, several people were seen thronging the petrol bunks for buying fuel at `cheap prices.'

"This way we will be saving at least some money. We have to shell out more from Wednesday," said Sandeep Singh, a student.

Experts say the move is bound to have a cascading effect with public transport fares likely to go up. Ditto with freight charges.

"It will also hit consumer spending power as people will have to shell out more for fuel and the axe will be invariably on other expenditures," says Mr. Kumar.

Auto drivers' demand

Quick to react, the Auto Drivers Struggle Committee condemning the steep hike demanded an immediate increase in minimum fares from Rs. 8 to Rs. 12.

Its convenor Mohd. Amanullah Khan said the Government did not have control over the ever-rising prices of essential commodities.

BJP, CPI flay hike

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders — Bandaru Dattatreya and N. Indrasena Reddy — said the hike would affect all sections of society.

K. Laxman (BJP) and K. Narayana (CPI) also flayed the hike.

Mr. Narayana faulted the Government for ignoring suggestions of the Left parties while Mr. Laxman accused the Left of `double standards.'

The BJP will organise State-wide dharna and demonstrations on September 8, Mr. Laxman said.

The State committee of CITU called for dharna and burning of effigies to protest against the hike.

S. Veeraiah, general secretary, in a statement termed it a "burden" on people.

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