Petroleum traders in the State have urged public sector oil companies to install automation mechanism in petroleum outlets before implementing dynamic pricing mechanism from Friday.
At a press conference here on Tuesday, All Kerala Federation of Petroleum Traders president K.P. Sivanandan said only 25% of outlets had installed the mechanism so far. In other places, outlet owners or employees themselves had to make changes in the dispensing units. If there was any error in this procedure, the oil companies would take action against petroleum dealers as per marketing discipline guidelines and their licence could be terminated. Mr. Sadanandan said that as a majority of petroleum outlets in the State would be shut if that happened, it would lead to a disastrous situation.
He said the oil companies had spent crores of rupees to install automation systems in petroleum outlets in Kerala, but succeeded in doing it in over 20% of them. They had not been able to correct the anomalies in the existing system too. Mr. Sadanandan alleged that the move towards dynamic pricing was another ploy by the companies to increase oil prices daily.
The Central government has decided to revise prices of petrol and diesel every day from June 16 and the dealers across the country have decided to shut shop on the day protesting against the step.
