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Pump owners fleecing motorists by selling only premium fuels during peak hours

Pump owners fleecing motorists by selling only premium fuels during peak hours

The skyrocketing fuel prices have already made the life of common people miserable. Now, fleecing by a few fuel pumps in Navi Mumbai has added to their woes. Motorists complain that a few pumps in the city force customers to buy only premium petrol or diesel that costs around Rs 4 more than the normal fuels.During peak hours, they say that only premium is available, leaving customers with no options.While bikers do not complain much, car owners found it costly affairs as they refill higher amounts of fuel and pay additional amounts. They say that even if they buy 10 litres of petrol or diesel, they have to shell out Rs 40 more than while buying normal fuels.Most of the pumps sell normal and premium petrol or diesel with a different name like Xtra Premium, Speed, Power, 93 Octane, and Speed 97. Premium type petrol has a higher rate of octane component in it and it is claimed that its performance is better than normal fuels and thus buyers have to pay a premium price. However, it has been observed that the majority of motorists prefer normal fuels as they cost lower than premium, especially after skyrocketing fuel prices.Surendra Gupta, a Vashi resident, says that he faced this situation a couple of times at the Gurukripa pump in Sanpada and another along the Belapur-Uran highway. “During office hours in the morning, they simply closed the normal petrol unit and sold only premium. They say that normal fuel is not available if they want, they have to wait till refill is done,” said Gupta. He added that when he complained to the manager of the pump, he was given the normal fuel.Even another motorist from Kharghar, Pramila Tawade, complained the same. She said that she had experienced a similar situation in a pump in Nerul, located along the service road of Palm Beach Road.When contacted Ravi Shinde, president of Petrol Dealers Association, Mumbai, he said that dealers have the same margin whether they sell normal or premium petrol. “I do not think that dealers are selling only premium or power petrol intentionally as there is no additional margin for premium fuel,” said Shinde, adding that there was a possibility that normal fuel was not available and they were selling premium fuels only.However, motorists say that whatever be the reason, the common people have to pay an additional amount to buy and demand action against erring pumps in the city.

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Published on: Tuesday, May 24, 2022, 09:27 PM IST

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PMC to table proposal to offer insurance cover to those who property tax on time

PMC to table proposal to offer insurance cover to those who property tax on time

The Panvel Municipal Corporation, which has been facing stiff resistance from residents over the collection of property tax, has come up with an innovative scheme to increase tax collection. Those residents who pay their property taxes on time will get accident insurance cover of up to Rs 6 lakh. Around three lakh property holders under the PMC could stand to benefit.The civic body has decided to offer accident insurance to citizens who pay their property taxes regularly and on time. While the civic body will pay the premium, citizens will get up to Rs 6 lakh cover in case of any eventuality. A proposal regarding this will soon be tabled at the general body meeting of the corporation this month.The insurance plan will cover the property tax holder, husband, wife and two children for up to 30 years. There will be no age constraint for the girl child, who can avail of the cover till her marriage. In addition, parents too will be covered as will children with disability till they get married.However, the civic body has stipulated that the benefit will be provided for only one property, even if the property tax holder possesses multiple properties. The civic body expects to pay around Rs 2 crore premium for group insurance cover to benefit around 12 lakh citizens, including the around three lakh property tax holders.Most importantly, during a year, one person or the whole family will get maximum coverage of Rs 1.25 lakh in medical expenses.While the civic administration has denied that the scheme is to lure property holders into paying their taxes on time, there is a section of residents opposed to the arbitrary collection of tax. A senior civic official said the scheme was not for the citizens to pay property tax but for their welfare.However, Leena Garad, a corporator from Kharghar at PMC and the president of the Kharghar Colony Forum, terms the scheme as an incentive to get property holders to pay their taxes. “The civic body is offering the incentive to attract property holders. But this will not work, as citizens want a reduction in taxes,” Garad said. She has been opposing the high rate of property tax and retrospective tax collection by the PMC. She had even procured a stay order on forceful tax collection till June 10. “We will see more details of the proposal in the general body and accordingly put across our views in the House,” Garad added.

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Published on: Friday, May 20, 2022, 12:00 AM IST

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