Mohali filling stations shut, motorists hit

Tribune News Service

Mohali, July 29

Motorists were a harried lot as filling stations across the district remained shut today from 8 am to 5 pm in a tribute to the late GS Chawla, a petrol pump dealer, who ended his life in a hotel in Panchkula on July 22.

The dealers also rued that they were suffering huge losses due to disparity in VAT rates in Punjab in comparison to the neighbouring states. Close to 3,500 filling stations were shut in protest against the high rate of taxes on petrol and diesel in Punjab in comparison to the neighbouring states.

GS Chawla, a Mohali-based fuel pump owner, had allegedly committed suicide on July 22 after suffering losses in the business.

Petrol and diesel in Mohali are costlier by Rs4.94 per litre and Rs2.63 per litre, respectively, as compared to Chandigarh. The retail price of petrol in Punjab is Rs82.35 per litre as compared to Rs77.41 in Chandigarh and Rs78.46 in Panchkula (Haryana). The rate of diesel in Punjab is Rs75.54 in comparison to Rs72.91 in Chandigarh and Rs73.54 in Panchkula.

According to a dealer, Punjab imposes 33.40 per cent tax on petrol and 19.77 per cent on diesel. However, VAT rate in Chandigarh is 22.45 per cent on petrol and 14.02 per cent on diesel, while in Haryana tax on petrol and diesel is 25.25 per cent and 17.60 per cent, respectively.