Pic: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NM)
Mangalore, Nov 8: Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District Petroleum Dealers' Association (DKUPDA) will organize a state-level conference 'Thaila Samagama -2011' on petroleum on November 26 and 27 in Kundapur, Udupi.
The purpose of the conference is to exchange thoughts and also share key information regarding the trade.
"Our trade has been under threat for over a decade with shrinking margins and unhealthy competition among oil companies leading to losses," said K Vishwas Shenoy, president of DKUPDA at a press meet here on Tuesday November 8.
Oscar Fernandees, MP, Rajya Sabha, Nalin Kumar, MP, Shobha Karandlaje, minister for power, food and supplies, Halady Srinivas Shetty, MLA and J P Hegde, former state minister will be the guests of honour.
"We condemn the increase in petrol prices which in turn are affecting us by an increase in our working capital and depleting margins. Our margins remain fixed on per litre basis and other expenses have grown exponentially like interest rates, hidden bank charges, salary, evaporation losses, electricity charges as well as frequent power cuts in recent times to name a few," he explained.
Sathish N Kamath, chairman of the conference committee said that Karnataka is the most expensive state in the country as far as of fuel price is concerned. This is due to higher sales tax and entry tax in the state. "Recently we have observed that oil marketing companies (IOCL, BPCL and HPCL) have called for more than 3000 odd petrol pumps for the state which is a serious threat to the trade; the average sale per the outlet has come down to less than 150 kilolitre which is very difficult to operate," he lamented.
Kamath further said, "The oil marketing companies on the other hand are claiming huge losses due to high crude oil prices and dollar appreciation but are still venturing into setting up new outlets spending crores of rupees on each new outlet, which shows their double standards."
"In order to trade and serve the society in the best possible way we have added value added services like windshield cleaning, free air, clean toilets, and neat house keeping," he added.