Petrol, diesel prices rise for tenth consecutive day: Centre indifferent to hike in fuel costs, says TMC
Kolkata: The petrol and diesel prices in Kolkata have gone up for the 10th consecutive day now. It touched Rs 90.78 per litre and Rs 83.54 per litre respectively on Wednesday.
On Sunday the price of petrol had crossed the Rs 90 per litre mark for the first time ever in the city's history. The price of petrol has gone up to Rs 88.30 per litre from Rs 87.64 between February 1 to 5. Again, it started increasing from February 8.
The petrol and diesel prices have gone up by Rs 2.48 and Rs 2.83 respectively in the past ten days.
Stating this to be something unprecedented, Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy said: "They hardly give any importance to the common people. There is nothing to think that they do not know how such abnormal hike in fuel prices would leave an adverse affect on the loves of common people. So the indifference of the Centre when the petrol price is approaching to a century is something unexpected and anti-people." Economists Abhirup Sarkar opined that such abnormal increase in petrol prices leaves a deep social impact.
The reason being such abnormal hike in prices of petrol, diesel and LPG leaves a major scope for skyrocketing of other essentials and it builds up stress on people.
He further said: "When excessive cultivation of crops take place, the government intervenes to procure the produce so that farmers do not incur loss. Similarly, the government needs to play the pivotal role to maintain the petroleum prices
at a level."
There are around 3,200 petrol pumps in the state and livelihood of around 3.5 lakh people are involved with proper functioning of the petrol pumps.
But with the increase in the prices the sale in the pumps are going down making it difficult for the ones of smaller size to survive.
"Around 40 per cent of the total pumps in the state are smaller in size. We get commission against sale. Our sale is reducing with the increase in price. Once the turnover falls, it becomes difficult to run the petrol pumps," said Prasenjit Sen, Joint Secretary of West Bengal Petroleum Dealers Association.
