The Capital’s petrol retailers have threatened an indefinite strike beginning over the weekend in response to the Delhi Government’s decision to make pollution under control (PUC) certificates a mandatory pre-requisite for purchase of fuel from December.
In a related development, the Delhi Traffic Police have suggested that the Delhi Government’s Transport Department open more centres for issuing PUC. Delhi Petrol Dealers’ Association president Atul Peshawaria said the body’s managing committee had decided to shut the 400-odd fuel vends across the city from midnight on November 30 — a move which is expected to trigger chaos and expose an estimated 60 lakh Delhiites registered as vehicle owners — to much inconvenience.
At the heart of the tug-of-war between the government and an estimated 425 fuel retailers in Delhi is the issue of criminal liability which, the latter feel, is “unfairly” tipped against them, in addition to the safety of petrol pump employees. As per the new directions, the retailers found selling fuel to vehicles without valid PUCs will be booked under Section 20 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
“According to the government’s notification, a vehicle owner found driving without a valid PUC is liable to be fined Rs.1,000 under the Motor Vehicles [MV] Act, while both a petrol pump attendant and owner can be imprisoned for up to six years if they sell fuel to a customer without a valid PUC,” Mr. Peshawaria added.
He said a majority of attendants employed at fuel vends are both uneducated and untrained, making them ill-equipped to enforce the notification issued by the Chief Secretary on November 12 after the recommendations of a High-Powered Committee comprising officials from several government departments.
Moreover, Mr. Peshawaria said, the enforcement of the notification seemed impractical from the point of view of the safety of petrol pump employees, what with a recent incident shooting incident in a Ghaziabad petrol pump.
“Every one in Delhi is a VIP, and especially after a few drinks. Just imagine the danger our employees will have to face on a daily basis. In any case, it is they and we owners who stand to lose the most.”
Meanwhile, as the date for the implementation of the notification inches closer, the Delhi Traffic Police has written to the Transport Department suggesting that temporary centres issuing PUCs be made available at public places such as metro stations, malls and popular markets.
“From December 1, we will launch a dedicated drive against drivers without PUCs to ensure complete enforcement of the notification,” said Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Muktesh Chander, who was one of the panellists in the environment committee.
