NEW DELHI: The Federation of All India Petroleum Traders, commanding a membership of 32,000 dealers, threatened to go on an indefinite strike from April 28 if the Petroleum Ministry did not resolve issues pertaining to their demands including hike in their commission.

Addressing a press conference here, FAIPT president Ashok Badhwar said the managing committee held its deliberations in the capital and has decided that if the Government did not give a serious thought to their five-point charter of demands by April 10, they would resort to direct action.

He said to lodge their protest, all the 32,000 dealers would shut down the petrol pumps from midnight of April 12 to midnight of April 13.

Regretting that such a move would badly affect the consumers as well as the economy at such a crucial time, Mr. Badhwar said despite their best efforts, the Federation had failed to get a positive response from the Petroleum Ministry and the oil companies towards the resolution of the problems faced by them.

Dealers' margin

He said the Government was well aware of the matter but had kept it pending for the last one and a half years for no reason. Dwelling upon the demands, Mr. Badhwar said the dealers' margin should be fixed at 5 per cent of the invoice value; pending submission of the report of the Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehra Dun, no action should be taken against the dealers for negative stock losses beyond the current permissible limits; appoint an appellate authority where the dealers may make an appeal against the high-handedness of the officers of oil companies and oil companies should also be subjected to marker test to check the authenticity of the product being despatched to the dealers.

He said despite repeated promises, the oil marketing companies had not provided the dealers with marker kits to test adulteration of kerosene and check its misuse. This had caused widespread resentment, as dealers were unable to comprehend what the exact procedure is for such a formula.

"We warn the Government not to take the dealers for granted and resolve the matter before the April 10 deadline lest we should not be blamed for any inconvenience or harassment that results from the strike," he said.

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