Kolkata: The state-wide petrol pump strike on Tuesday was lifted with intervention of the state Transport minister Firhad Hakim assuring a tripartite meeting to resolve the issues raised by petrol pump owners.
People were highly inconvenienced with around 3,200 petrol pumps going for "no purchase no sale" since 6 am on Tuesday. Finally, the pumps reopened at
around 5.30 pm following a meeting between Hakim and representatives of West Bengal Petrol Pump Dealers' Association.
Besides raising voice against abnormal hike in fuel prices, the basic protests of the petrol pump dealers was against use of ethanol in petrol that is leading to their heavy losses when their commission has also not been increased despite an abnormal hike in fuel prices. They demanded a hike in their commission and delivery of fuel to petrol pumps against measurement using "flow meter".
Hakim said: "I have listened to the problems that the petrol pump dealers are facing and also heard about their demands. Assuring them of a tripartite meeting with the concerned executivedirector of the oil companies to resolve their issues, I urged them to reopen the petrol pumps as people should not get inconvenienced".
The tripartite meeting is expected to be held in the next couple of days, sources said.
"We are thankful to the state Transport minister for giving us a patient hearing and we have informed them all about our problems," said Prasenjit Sen, Joint Secretary of West Bengal Petroleum Dealers Association.
He further stated that they felt bad as the people were inconvenienced.