Punjab fuel stations to remain shut on July 29

Panchkula, July 25

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The Petrol Pump Dealers Association, Punjab, today gave a statewide call to shut petrol pumps on July 29, demanding justice for one of its members, Gurkirpal Singh Chawla, who ended his life at a hotel here. Chawla allegedly succumbed to the pressure of loss of volume due to disparity in fuel prices in Punjab and its neighbouring states and huge revenue loss by low sales due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The onus of his death primarily lies with the HPCL and then the VAT policies of the Government of Punjab and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, who failed to address the issues of the petrol pump dealers seeking price correction and increased margins to cover up for the losses due to the pandemic,” said Paramjit Singh Doaba, president of the association.

“This is just the beginning of a dark chapter of suicides by petro dealers. More such incidents are waiting to happen if the HPCL and the other three oil marketing companies, the Punjab Government and the MoPNG did not consider the plight of the petroleum dealers’ fraternity and give justice to Chawla,” said Manjeet Singh, general secretary of the association.

“We have planned to keep the petrol pumps in Punjab shut on July 29 to demand justice for Gurkirpal Singh Chawla,” read a press release of the association.