Petrol pumps across Manipur’s Imphal valley remained closed on Saturday in protest against alleged extortion demands and threats by some groups, affecting the public.
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IMPHAL — Petrol pumps across Manipur’s Imphal valley and its peripheries remained closed on Saturday in protest against alleged extortion demands and threats by “some groups”, affecting the public.
The Manipur Petroleum Dealers Fraternity (MPDF) announced the closure of petrol pumps after a hand grenade was found in a toilet at M/s Ibudhou Pakhangba Filling Station, Keikol, Koirengei road, Imphal East, on December 6, concealed along with a letter warning of “dire consequences in future if the demand is not met”. They claimed that the threat came after the extortion demands were not fulfilled.
In a press release, the MPDF had earlier informed that all petrol pumps in the Imphal valley peripherals of Manipur would be shut on December 13, as the matter requires serious deliberation considering the safety of public who visits gas stations on a daily basis, as well as multiple threats faced by petrol pump dealers, including kidnapping of staff and exorbitant demands from time to time.
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Stating that petrol pumps are opened day and night to serve the public, as per the need of the people, with the guidelines from the government as one of the main essential services, it said the sector is contributing to the State’s revenue by collecting VAT taxes at the rate of INR 19.56 per litre for petrol (25%) and INR 10.11 per litre for diesel (13.5%) from the public, taking the monthly contribution to INR 25-30 crore approximately.
Petrol pumps have been actively contributing to development works apart from providing employment, it added.
Unlike other businesses that can inflate prices to pay for illegal taxes/demands to sustain, petroleum dealers have no means to compensate, as products are sold at a rate fixed by the government, it said, requesting the government to understand its situation.
"Hence we, MPDF, demand/request to stop such bomb threats and unbearable demands in future as we're running our business in tight margin as there is a more than 50% reduction in sales due to the ongoing crisis in Manipur since May 3, 2023,” stated the press release.
“It has been unanimously resolved by all dealers that any similar bomb threats and extreme monetary demands will lead to indefinite closure of petrol pumps collectively,” it added.
The closure of petrol pumps resulted in black market, where fuel was sold at a significantly inflated rate. Petrol was sold at INR 120-130 per litre and diesel at INR 100 in Imphal area.
It particularly affected public transport service providers.
‘I managed to operate my auto-rickshaw service after filling diesels from my locality,’ said an auto-rickshaw driver who provides from Imphal to Pukhao village in Imphal East district. ‘Some of my colleagues couldn’t ply as they forgot to fill fuel in their vehicle,’ he added.