Most petrol pump owners across the state threaten not to supply fuel for vehicles engaged by West Bengal administrations this time for forthcoming seven-phase Lok Sabha (LS) elections if their outstanding amount, more than Rs 2 crore, is not cleared. They alleged that since rural body polls in 2023 in the state, the money has not been cleared.

West Bengal Petroleum Dealers’ Association (WBPDA) and Indian Oil Dealers’ Forum (IODF) have separately written to the state chief electoral officer (CEO) Ariz Aftab expressing their grievance and demanded his interventions into the matter so that payment for their outstanding can be made as soon as possible.

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“…payments against supplies of fuel to various Government Authorities viz. Block Development office and Police Departments during Panchayat Elections, 2023 remains outstanding since July 2023,inspite of numerous, regular follow-up with them,” IODF letter written to Mr Aftab stated on 26 March. The copy of the letter has also been sent to the chief secretary and director general of police (DGP) respectively.

“We request you to kindly appreciate that it is completely unviable for us petroleum dealers to supply fuel on credit for such long periods of time in view of the meagre margin …,” it stated.

“We have sought an appointment of the CEO seeking his intervention on the issue. Petrol pump owners in districts like East Midnapore, Murshidabad and East and West Burdwan are yet to get their dues, amounting to more than a crore from the administration in respective districts,” said John Mukherjee, president of IODF, the second largest body of 1,200 petrol pump owners in the state.

“We have also written a letter to the CEO on 22 March urging him to take immediate measures so that our outstanding amount of Rs 2.31 crore can be paid by the administration immediately. It’s very difficult to supply diesel for vehicles used mainly by district magistrates (DM) and superintendents of police (SP) across districts during LS polls if the dues are not paid,” said Kalyan Manna, WBPDA secretary.

“We have the highest number of members, around 1,600, in Bengal. Dealers from districts like East Midnapur, Purulia, Murshidabad, Howrah, South 24-Parganas and North 24-Parganas are yet to be paid their dues, since 2023. Besides immediate payments of dues, we have also urged the CEO to direct state administration to make a minimum 75 per cent payment for supplying fuel for vehicles to be used for LS polls,” he added.