Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Oil price hike

This refers to the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs.3 and Rs.2 a litre. With international oil prices ruling at $65 a barrel, what option do the people have other than living with rising prices? The repeated suggestion of the Left parties to reduce the custom and excise duties on oil imports and mobilise resources from other taxes does not appear to be practicable in view of the mounting revenue deficit.

Notwithstanding the hike, which is modest compared with the increase in the international prices of crude, it is necessary for the Government to regulate the consumption of petrol and diesel.

K.M. Lakshmana Rao,
New York

Considering the crude oil prices in the international market, the Government is fully justified in hiking the prices of petrol and diesel. The decision of the BJP and the Left to stage a nationwide protest is unfortunate, as they are aware of the ground reality.

S. Parthasarathy,
Manama, Bahrain

As a mature democracy it is time we revisited the entire system of pricing petroleum products. We should look at the possibility of introducing a system of rationing where consumption beyond a point is charged at the market price.

The case in point is that of LPG cylinders which are used for not just domestic purposes but the price is the same for everyone. The Government should consider charging the second cylinder used in domestic households at actual rates, and not subsidise them.

Vinu Nayar,
Chennai

We should curtail the use of private transport to the bare minimum, and wherever possible use public transport. The concept of car pools should be popularised. Electric car manufacturers should be given financial incentives to increase production. All private companies should consider having a five-day week. And senior bureaucrats and Ministers should set an example of reducing fuel consumption by sending their children to school by school bus.

C.V.K. Moorthy,
Kolkata

The growing demand for oil has sent the prices skyrocketing. The only solution is to go for alternative sources such as wind, nuclear, and solar energy.
Sai Pavan Anugula,

Hyderabad

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