Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 11: Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District Petroleum Dealers Association has extended wholehearted support to the strike call given by United Petroleum Front, which happens to be the national level body representing petroleum dealers. The Front has called to close down all the petrol bunks across the country for a day on October 13. As such, no petrol bunks will function in the twin districts on Friday October 13.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday October 10, president of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi District Petroleum Dealers Association, Sathish N Kamath, said that as per the call of the national body, a 'no purchase - no sale' strike will be observed from 12 midnight on October 12 to 12 midnight on October 13. During this period, sale of petrol and diesel will remain suspended, he clarified.

"This strike is being carried out demanding immediate implementation of all the facilities to which the oil companies had agreed upon as per the joint agreement entered into on November 26, 2016. As there is lack of transparency over the process of day-to-day fixing of prices of petrol and diesel, we have demanded for the scrapping of this system," he added. He also stated that there are several other demands which have not been met although the companies had agreed for the same in the past.

"We are aware that customers and general public will face problems because of this strike. But we are compelled to go ahead this strike as we have no other option. Hence, we request the public to cooperate with us. If the demands are not met with the strike now announced, the bunks will undertake indefinite strike from October 27 onward," he said.

The press conference was attended by office bearers of the association, Muralidhar Prabhu, Padmanabha Pai, Sudheer Bhandary, and Rohit Kanchan.