Thiruvananthapuram: The state government is yet to fulfill the promises given to petroleum dealers that it would introduce a single window clearance system for issuing a trade licence.
Petroleum dealers had ended their indefinite strike from March 1 following promises given by the civil supplies minister Anoop Jacob including an assurance to withdraw the new regulations for a trade licence issued by the government.
Until last year, only the clearance of the petroleum companies was needed for getting a trade licence to run a petrol pump. However, later, the government introduced new regulations in which the petroleum dealers were asked to take four licences including an explosive licence before getting the trade licence.The other licences are those issued by the pollution control board, fire safety and the one issued by the industries department.
Binu A Hakim, a Varkala based petroleum dealer told Deccan Chronicle that the government had failed to issue an order withdrawing the new regulation even three weeks after the dealers withdrew the strike following the assurance on a single window system.
If the present arrangement that four other licences were mandatory for getting the trade licence from the local bodies continued, a dealer would have to spend nearly Rs one lakh before finally getting a licence, Mr Hakim said.
