Petroleum Traders to strike work on November 1,2

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The All Kerala Federation of Petroleum Traders (AKFPT) will strike work by keeping their filling stations shut on November 1 and 2 in protest against the move by petroleum companies in the country to set up over 900 new filling stations across the state.Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Alex Vallakkalil, state president of the Federation, said that the proposed move by the petroleum companies was completely against a directive by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas that restricts the companies from opening fuel stations at unnecessary locations. The companies have invited tenders to start as many as three fuel stations at some places. At present, there are over 2,000 fuel stations in the state. Retail petroleum dealers will suffer heavily from this unscientific move.Most of the new fuel stations that were opened recently are already running on loss.  Hence, new fuel stations will only add to the volume of loss. “This consequently will turn into a burden on the people, who are already suffering from the frequent rise in fuel prices,” Alex Vallakkalil said.General secretary of the Federation, Radhakrishnan and vice president Vakkachan attended the press conference.