Petrol, Diesel Sales in Plastic Bottles Continue in Vijayawada
Vijayawada: Despite the poll-related ban on sale of loose petrol and diesel by fuel stations in the NTR district till June 6, such sale continues unabated here.
In view of the violence in Palnadu district on the polling day and thereafter too, the NTR and Krishna district administrations have imposed temporary restrictions on the sale of fuel in plastic bottles and cans. This was to avert further poll-related incidents. The counting of votes would take place on June 4.
The district administration has put the onus to enforce the order on the civil supplies department. However, petty shops and roadside business vendors who sell petrol mainly to two-wheelers continue selling fuel to consumers who come with plastic bottles.
A roadside vendor selling petrol in plastic bottles on the Krishna Lanka national highway said, “We are doing our business as usual. Two-wheeler riders come to us when their oil tanks turn suddenly dry. However, petrol stations stopped this practice in view of the ban orders. We are selling the petrol that we bought and stocked last week.”
NTR district joint collector Sampath Kumar told Deccan Chronicle, “We restricted the petrol station owners from selling oil in plastic bottles and cans. There is no law or act to impose such restrictions on roadside vendors.”
“The aim is to prevent incidents related to the polls till the counting on June 4. Roadside vendors will not get fuel from pumps till the ban is in force,” he observed.
