Petrol dealers: No fuel to govt vehicles on credit from today
Members of the All-Haryana Petroleum Dealers’ Association (AHPDA) today declared to confront the government and announced not to give fuel to government vehicles on credit from Friday in protest against state government’s proposal to hike the value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel. The association also declared not to procure fresh stock of fuel from July 13 to show their resentment, which would lead the drying of petrol pumps after Monday. They would also be on indefinite strike from July 14 till the fulfilment of their demands. It was decided in a state-level meeting of the association today. Ranjeet Chauhan, chairman of association, said, “The state government had increased VAT on diesel to 11.6 per cent from 9.3 per cent earlier, which has made the diesel dearer. Now, the government is going to increase VAT to 17.5 per cent on diesel and 25 per cent from 20 per cent on petrol. This step will increase the burden on pump owners as well as farmers.” Rewari: Petrol dealers are up in arms against the state government’s proposal to hike VAT on petrol and diesel. They said the hike was unjustified as it would not only put financial burden on the consumers, but also adversely affect the sale of petrol and diesel. They have now announced not to buy petrol and diesel from oil companies from July 13, besides launching an indefinite strike from July 14 to register their protest against the decision. “The government’s illogical proposal of enhancing VAT by 5 per cent on petroleum products has compelled us to fight a decisive battle to check the rise in petrol and diesel prices,” said Shakti Yadav, district general secretary of the association. He maintained over 12 per cent decrease in the sale of the petrol and diesel was reported in seven months after the BJP government hiked VAT from 8.8 per cent to 12.5 per cent.