PANJIM: Paresh Joshi, President of Goa Petrol Dealers’ Association on Wednesday rues that it is an unpleasant situation for the customers since the fuel price has spiked by almost Rs 10 in the last six months.
“On September 30, the cost of petrol was Rs 77.59 and today (February 17) it is 87.05. It is the petrol pump staffs who face the first brunt from the customers regarding the new rates,” said Joshi. “They can only be sympathetic to the customer’s woes,” he added.
Explaining that they (dealers) have also been suffering as their returns on their investments have reduced, Joshi has also felt that the fuel price hike has led inflation as transportation is cost has eventually increased.
He steers clear that dealers have no role to play and pointed out that the system that determines the fuel prices was supposed to ensure that the prices here are in tandem with the international prices. “However, during the pandemic when the international prices of oil have come down, the cost of fuel [here] has increased,” he added.
Giving the rates of the last few days, he revealed that the rate in Goa on February 13 2021, for petrol (MS) was Rs 85.98 and diesel (HSD) was Rs 82.62. On February 14, rate for petrol were Rs 86.26 and diesel was Rs 82.96. On February 15, petrol was Rs 86.52 and diesel was Rs 83.26. On February 16, petrol was Rs 86.81 and diesel was Rs 83.63. And today (February 17), petrol is Rs 87.05 and diesel was 83.90
“There are some people who fill up 15-20 litres a day. It cost them huge,” he said, adding that the situation in other States is worse with fuel prices nearing Rs 100.
On the overall business front for petrol dealers, he said that it is yet to return to pre-COVID level as all commercial activities have not resumed fully.
