JAIPUR: In the guidelines issued to check the surging Covid pandemic, the auto fuel pumps could remain open only up to 8pm even as the goods trucks, dhabas and truck repairing shops on highways were permitted to carry out their work round-the-clock.
In a letter to the principal secretary, home, Abhay Kumar, Rajasthan Petroleum Dealers’ Association said that the guidelines were contradictory.
“Most of the goods trucks are plying on the highways during night. By closing the petrol pumps it will create problems for such services which are allowed in the guidelines. That’s why we urge the government to permit the petrol pumps to remain open during night as well,” said Suneet Bagai, president of the association.
He said that it is not the goods trucks that require fuel at night. “There are ambulances, police vehicles, private vehicles as in emergency situations individuals need to go out, buses and other vehicles also need fuel at night,” added Bagai.
He added that the nature of business at petrol pumps is such that there is always social distancing and that is the reason there have been not many cases involving people in the service.
Also, the fact that when the transporters know that the fuel pumps in Rajasthan are closed, they fill their tanks in other states which is causing losses to the state exchequer as well.
“Fuel is an essential service which is required round-the-clock and we want the government to rectify the anomaly in the guidelines,” said Bagai.
Bagai said that the current guidelines are in the nature of partial lockdown as many services are allowed to function normally. “In curfew situations, the petrol pumps remain closed, but this is not curfew. That’s another reason why they should operate round-the-clock,” said Bagai.
