A section of fuel outlets in Kannur initiated a 24-hour strike on Saturday, beginning at 6 am, in protest of the police’s inability to curtail the significant smuggling of fuel from Mahe and Karnataka into the district. This strike, organized by the Kannur District Petroleum Dealers Association, will persist until 6 am on Sunday. Approximately 200 fuel outlets are participating in this demonstration, during which pump owners are also refraining from procuring oil from oil companies.
Association leaders contend that neither the police nor other government departments have managed to put an end to the illicit oil transportation from Mahe and Karnataka into the district. This illegal activity has pushed many fuel outlets in Kannur to the brink of closure, resulting in substantial revenue losses for the government. The authorities, however, appear to be inactive in addressing the issue, as alleged by the leaders.
The surge in diesel and petrol smuggling from Mahe and Karnataka is attributed to price disparities between Kerala and these neighboring states. In comparison to Kerala’s fuel prices, Mahe has a price difference of approximately Rs 15 for petrol and Rs 13 for diesel, while Karnataka’s price difference stands at Rs 5 for petrol and Rs 8 for diesel.
As part of the protest, fuel dealers will stage a protest march and dharna in front of the district collectorate at 10 am on Saturday. Devasya Mecheri, the President of the Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi District, will inaugurate the agitation, according to TV Jayadevan, the President of the Petroleum Dealers Association in the district.
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