Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 4
THE issue of adulteration of oil suddenly raised by the NSCN (IM) died down on late Wednesday afternoon but only after a ‘pow -wow’ orchestrated by the Home Minister G Kaito Aye between the Petroleum Dealers Association, Dimapur and the NSCN (IM) UT-1 officials led by CAO of UT-1, Kilonser Ape Venuh.Striking PDA agreed to re open fuel outlets after two days of shutdown after sitting across the table with the NSCN (IM). The closure was in protest against an NSCN (IM) diktat directing 17 out of 31 outlets to shut shop, on grounds that these outlets were indulging in selling adulterated fuel.
The repercussions of the stalemate between the NSCN (IM) and the petroleum dealers were widely felt across the town in the past two days even as normal life, and business and academic activities, were badly hit.
After a lengthy deliberation, it was mutually agreed that the 14 petrol outlets, found not indulging in fuel adulteration, would open business immediately while the other 17 outlets would be subjected to another round of test.
The PDA member said they are supportive of the motive of the NSCN(IM) to check fuel adulteration in Dimapur “as long as they follow the guidelines provide in the “Marketing Discipline Guidebook”, an official of PDA told Eastern Mirror on Wednesday evening.
The PDA members also sought to emphasis that tests on the purity of petroleum products were not what they objected but that while conducting these adulteration tests the NSCN(IM) does not adhere to the guidelines of the “Marketing Discipline Guidebook” issued by the IOC.
Ape Venuh also informed the meeting that three outlets were found operating without challans during the check.
It was agreed that the three defaulting outlets would remain closed till the owners are able to produce the necessary challans.
PDA officials further reasoned with the NSCN (IM) officials that if the outfit was indeed serious about getting rid of the practice of fuel adulteration in Dimapur, they should start it from the godowns and stores. That is where all the adulteration is done, they informed.
During the meeting, the NSCN (IM) officials objected to the newspaper reports of PDA accusing the outfit of threatening to “bomb” the petrol pumps.
Venuh contended that the NSCN (IM) never issued the threat.
Consequently, the PDA officials apologized for their “mistake” and agreed that the NSCN (IM) had issued no such threat.
Later in the afternoon, the PDA members also met with the Home Minister, G Kaito Aye in DC Dimapur office where he was briefed of the development.
Meanwhile, the Naga Business Owners Association Dimapur District has expressed solidarity to PDA and pointed out that paying “Adulteration fees sanctions and encourages the dealers for adulteration.”
“The association strongly also urges the state Government to take strict action against those guilty and cancel license of those petrol pumps selling adulterated fuels.
The association also questions the Government as to why adulteration is being allowed to happen despite so many earlier occasions when it has come to their knowledge, when fire broke out in adulteration/mixing depot at Gorapatti, CRDS campus and 7the mile, yet no one was caught or penalized till date,” said the press release.
It asked the state government “to go into the root cause of the problem and close down all adulteration/mixing depots spread across Dimapur district, which is one of the main reasons for proliferation of adulterated fuel into petrol pumps.”
The Naga Students’ Federation also expressed concern over the “issue of misunderstanding between Petrol Dealers Association (PDA) and the CAO UT-I” while observing that “closure of school and colleges or missing classes in the middle of academic session is a great lose for the students which will surely hamper their academic career.”
The NSF, in a press release, also urged the state Government to “pull up the sleeves and intervene in such challenging situation to settle the matter amicably.”
