Petroleum dealers in the State plan to stage a hunger fast on July 26 here pressing for various demands including bi-annual revision of their margins. Consumers, however, will not be affected.
Tamil Nadu Petroleum Dealers Association president K.P. Murali said the last revision was in July 2015. “The oil companies are supposed to revise their commission twice a year, but this happens only once a year and that too after protests. Unless they revise our commissions, we cannot afford more manpower, which is needed to serve the customers better,” he said.
Dealers currently get a commission of Rs. 2.20 per litre for petrol and Rs. 1.39 for diesel. Nearly 80 per cent of the outlets sell less than 120 KL (one KL = 1000 litres) a month. Mr. Murali said the dealers also wanted oil majors to fix fair rates for tanker trucks to prevent pilferage by those operating the vehicles. “We have been demanding a meeting with the companies to discuss the issues. And if they do not call us for talks before the 26, we will go on a token fast,” he said.
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