The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : ‘Pump owners cannot impose decision’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Aug 10, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

‘Pump owners cannot impose decision’

Special Correspondent

Photo: C. Ratheesh kumar

Residents’ ire: Members of the Federation of Residents Associations, Thiruvananthapuram, stage a dharna on Saturday against the decision to limit the working hours of petrol pumps.

Thiruvananthapuram: Speakers at a dharna organised by the Federation of Residents Associations, Thiruvananthapuram (FRAT) here on Saturday expressed strong protest over the decision by fuel distribution agencies to limit the operation of petrol pumps to six days a week and close their outlets by 8 p.m.

Inaugurating the dharna, V. Sivankutty, MLA, urged the government for take stern action if the pump owners refuse to change stance. He said the pump owners had no right to impose their arbitrary decision on the public.

“It goes against democratic traditions. The government supplies fuel to the public at heavily subsidised rates. The agencies which distribute the fuel cannot decide to limit operations. It will cause hardship to the public.”

Mr. Sivankutty said the decision could lead to a confrontation between the agencies and the public.

He urged the pump owners to call off the decision in view of the inconvenience to the public.

“The government could invoke the Essential Commodities Act to crack down on agencies which refuse to fall in line,” he said.

UDF convenor K. Mohankumar called on distribution agencies to take a cue from their counterparts in Thrissur who had decided to ignore the controversial decision.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala