When people across Kerala feel the pinch of the additional cess of ₹2 imposed by the State government on fuel, which came into effect on Saturday, it hardly bothers the people sharing the borders with Mahe and Karnataka.
The cess has raised the price of a litre of petrol to ₹108.20 and diesel to ₹97.12 in Kannur and ₹108.80 and ₹97.69 respectively in Kasaragod. In comparison, the price of petrol is ₹14.40 and diesel ₹13.40 lesser in Mahe when compared with the prices in Kerala. The prices in Mahe being ₹93.80 and ₹83.72 respectively.
In areas in Karnataka near the Kerala border such as Virajpet, petrol costs ₹103.47 and diesel ₹89.10, Talapady ₹101.13, ₹87.11, Puthur ₹101.56, ₹87.52, and Sulia ₹101.99, ₹87.91.
K. Sujith, secretary of the Mahe Petroleum Dealers Association, says unlike in the past there was not much rush at the fuel stations and it was a normal day. Sales are usually high at the six bunks on the national highway in Mahe with each selling 12,000 litres of petrol and 40,000 litres of diesel a day.
However, the Mahe police are cautious and have deputed enough policemen to control traffic in case of a rush to fill fuel.
However, there is concern that the rate differences may encourage smuggling of fuel into Kerala. Recently, the Dharmadam police seized 10,000 litres of petrol and before that the New Mahe police also seized fuel when efforts were made to smuggle it in trucks and water tankers.
Thalassery Assistant Commissioner of Police Arun K. Pavithran said the police were on alert and intensified patrolling and checking vehicles crossing the border into the district.
